UPDATE: I've been thinking about this more and thinking that the Mets should give Kunz and Parnell a shot to make the pen given a strong spring training. Also signing Lyon would be good to have as a back up closer.
The Bullpen is the area that needs the most work this offseason. As of now Smith, Schoeneweis is under contract with Heilman, Feliciano and Sanchez arbitration eligible. Lets take a look at who to keep, who to get rid of and who to go out and get.
I know I will get ripped for this but strictly from a pitching standpoint Scott Schoeneweis is very good at his job and terrible at anything else. His job is to get lefties out. He put up a .174 BAA for lefties and .333 BAA for righties. He is a good left handed specialist but that is it. If the Mets want to carry a left handed specialist he is the guy to keep since he is under contract and very good at getting lefties out. There is a problem of the fans hating him. I personally like him. He is a competitor and pitched all of last year hurt. He was in tears following the game Sunday. I would keep Schoenewies unless we can get someone better in a trade.
Pedro Feliciano has shown he can be very good at getting lefties out and he has also shown he can be just as bad at getting righties out as Show. He was pretty good against righties in '07 and '06 but was terrible this year (even worse than Show). I would offer him arbitration and give him another shot (altough I have never particularly liked him) especially if we trade Schow.
Aaron Heilman. I really like him. He had a terrible terrible year though. He just did not get the job done, especially against lefties (which is odd because his change up makes him usually very effective against lefties). He actually did decent against righties who hit .222 against him. He has been battling tendonitis all year. He did not use this as an excuse though for his poor season. He has good stuff and can be very effective and has shown it in the past. The fans hate him for this season though and it would be tough for me to argue to not trade him but I will do it anyway. He has a lot of potential and can be very useful. I would hate to see him traded for less than he is worth.
Duaner Sanchez was effective at times but forthe most part did not get the job done this year. This was his first year pitching since his terrible injury from the taxi incident in 2006. He should have been given more time off this year and it showed in his decreased velocity towards the later parts of the seaosn. I think we should bring him back for another year and see how he does. He can still be quite effective and it showed at points this season.
Joe Smith is coming back as the rightie groundball pitcher.
As for the closer situation I would love for the Mets to get Kerry Wood but he is probably going back to the Cubs. The Mets should go get Brian Fuentes. K-Rod will cost too much for too many years. His season was good but will be overrated because of his save totals. I love K-Rod and wouldn't mind signing him but I think a smarter move would be for Wood or Fuentes.
Brandon Lyon could be signed as a middle reliever who could potentially close for us in case of injury. Juan Cruz is an undervalued pitcher who could be a very good signing. Also bringin back Stokes and Wise may not be bad moves either. I thought Ayala did a good job and could be brought back as a decent middle reliever.
Burgos has a great arm and could be a sleeper pick for closer if the Mets decide to go internally for closer. He is a hot head who beats his girlfriend but there have been many jerks who have had success in the big leagues (Sheffield, Clemens, Myers, etc.).
Kunz is another pick to close but should be kept in the minors for another year. He could be used in the bullpen in the 2009 season but not as the closer. Bobby Parnell was converted to a starter but many believe he will be better in the bullpen and the Mets may decided to switch him back and while he may not be a closer he could possibly be a good middle reliever.
There is also the trade possibilities of Houston Street, Francisco Cordero, and possibly Joakim Soria. I love Soria but do not see the Royals trading him. I like Francisco Cordero but he may cost too much in prospects, altough he is a very intriguing option. I have always felt Street was overrated and do not want the Mets to trade for him because the A's will ask for way too much and we would likely end up being fleeced for him.
I know there is a lot of rambling just now but to clear things up here is what my 2009 bullpen would look like:
Fuentes
Smith
Schoenewies
Heilman
Cruz
Long Man (Knight or Figueroa)
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Johan Santana and the Cy Young Award
I have a huge problem with the way the Cy Young Award is handed out. The Cy Young award is supposed to be handed out to the best pitcher in the league. However many times the award is handed out to the pitcher who has the most wins, which is a terrible reflection on how good a pitcher really is. The goal of a pitcher is to prevent runs from scoring. There is a statistic that measures how good a pitcher is at doing that. That statistic is called ERA. In my opinion the pitcher with the lowest ERA in the league (given that he has pitched enough innings) deserves the Cy Young. A pitchers win-loss record is many times a reflection on how lucky he was, how good the bullpen was, or how good his offense was (something which for the most part is out of a pitcher's control). Take for example Steve Trachsel and Randy Johnson in 2006. Steve Trachsel finished the year with 15 wins (1 shy of the league leader) but had a 4.97 ERA. Randy Johnson finished with 17 wins (2 shy of the league leader) and an ERA of 5.00. It is amazing how these two pitchers had so many wins yet pitched so poorly. Now these are extreme examples but take this year for instance. The Cy Young candidates are Brandon Webb, Tim Lincecum, CC Sabathia, and Johan Santana. The front runner for this award is probably Brandon Webb because he has 22 wins. Yet Santana has on average given up nearly a full run less per game than Webb.
I'll give you these stats anonymously and you tell me which pitcher you would rather have.
A: 227 INN, 2.62 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 265 K, 26/33 Games started were quality (GS/QS)
B: 253 INN, 2.70 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 251 K, 25/35 GS/QS
C: 234.3 INN, 2.53 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 206K, 28/34 GS/QS
D: 226.7 INN, 3.3o ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 183 K, 24/34 GS/QS
E: 206.7 INN, 2.96 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 187 K, 21/33 GS/QS
F: 227.3 INN, 3.09 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 196 K, 23/33 GS/QS
(I only included K's because people love them but in the grand scheme it is not very important and just very flashy.)
I would take pitcher C over the rest of them followed probably by A then C then E then F then D. A is Lincecum, B is CC Sabathia, C is Santana, D is Webb, and E is Dempster. F is Hamels. Interesting how those stats stack up to one another when they are anonymous w/o wins. Santana has the lowest ERA in the MLB (yes even lower than Cliff Lee). He was undefeated since June 28th. If CC was in the NL the whole year and put up similar stats I would of course have to go with him. He wasn't though and didn't put up similar stats in both leagues. This award is for the year, not half of the year. Santana outpitched the rest of the league and if all the pitchers had the same run support and same bullpen, Santana would have the most wins. He pitched under more pressure than any other pitcher because of the NY media and fans. He was brought in to be the savior of the team and he did his best to be just that. He pitched one of the greatest games on the second to last day of the season. CC did a great job down the stretch as well but for the whole year Santana was better overall. The Cy Young Award should go to Santana but because he only has 16 wins and Webb has 22 and Lincecum has 18 it is unlikely Santana will win the award. This is not the only time in history where a pitcher will be robbed of the award. It has happend many many times before. It happend to Pedro the year Zito won. It happend last year with CC. It happend when Colon won it. It happened when Carpenter won it. It happend to many many others in the past. Johan should win but most likely won't and may not even finish top 3. It is a shame that the Cy Young award doesn't usually go to the best pitcher in the league.
I'll give you these stats anonymously and you tell me which pitcher you would rather have.
A: 227 INN, 2.62 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 265 K, 26/33 Games started were quality (GS/QS)
B: 253 INN, 2.70 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 251 K, 25/35 GS/QS
C: 234.3 INN, 2.53 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 206K, 28/34 GS/QS
D: 226.7 INN, 3.3o ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 183 K, 24/34 GS/QS
E: 206.7 INN, 2.96 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 187 K, 21/33 GS/QS
F: 227.3 INN, 3.09 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 196 K, 23/33 GS/QS
(I only included K's because people love them but in the grand scheme it is not very important and just very flashy.)
I would take pitcher C over the rest of them followed probably by A then C then E then F then D. A is Lincecum, B is CC Sabathia, C is Santana, D is Webb, and E is Dempster. F is Hamels. Interesting how those stats stack up to one another when they are anonymous w/o wins. Santana has the lowest ERA in the MLB (yes even lower than Cliff Lee). He was undefeated since June 28th. If CC was in the NL the whole year and put up similar stats I would of course have to go with him. He wasn't though and didn't put up similar stats in both leagues. This award is for the year, not half of the year. Santana outpitched the rest of the league and if all the pitchers had the same run support and same bullpen, Santana would have the most wins. He pitched under more pressure than any other pitcher because of the NY media and fans. He was brought in to be the savior of the team and he did his best to be just that. He pitched one of the greatest games on the second to last day of the season. CC did a great job down the stretch as well but for the whole year Santana was better overall. The Cy Young Award should go to Santana but because he only has 16 wins and Webb has 22 and Lincecum has 18 it is unlikely Santana will win the award. This is not the only time in history where a pitcher will be robbed of the award. It has happend many many times before. It happend to Pedro the year Zito won. It happend last year with CC. It happend when Colon won it. It happened when Carpenter won it. It happend to many many others in the past. Johan should win but most likely won't and may not even finish top 3. It is a shame that the Cy Young award doesn't usually go to the best pitcher in the league.
Playoff Hopes and Predictions: 1st Round
Here are what I hope and what I think will happen in the first round:
MIL Vs PHI: I think that with a healthy Sheets the Brewers would win the series because CC and Sheets healthy are better than anyone the Phillies have (even Hamels). However Sheets is not healthy. I hope the Brew Crew wins but the Phillies will probably win.
CHC Vs. LAD: This is a tough call because the Dodgers are deceptively good. Not many give them credit. However I am going to hope and think that the Cubs will win with my boy Rich Harden and Kerry Wood. The Cubs have a great 3 man punch in the rotation in Dempster, Zambrano, and Harden. They also have a good bullpen with Wood and Marmol. I am going to go with the Cubs and hope they make it to the W.S,
LAA Vs. BOS: This is another tough call. Both teams are very good. Healthy the Sox probably have a better team but they are not healthy. It will be a good fight but I think overall the Sox will probably pull off a series win. I also hope they make it to the W.S.
TBR Vs. CHW: I think and hope the Rays have this one. I don't really feel like going into why because I am tired but yea Rays.
MIL Vs PHI: I think that with a healthy Sheets the Brewers would win the series because CC and Sheets healthy are better than anyone the Phillies have (even Hamels). However Sheets is not healthy. I hope the Brew Crew wins but the Phillies will probably win.
CHC Vs. LAD: This is a tough call because the Dodgers are deceptively good. Not many give them credit. However I am going to hope and think that the Cubs will win with my boy Rich Harden and Kerry Wood. The Cubs have a great 3 man punch in the rotation in Dempster, Zambrano, and Harden. They also have a good bullpen with Wood and Marmol. I am going to go with the Cubs and hope they make it to the W.S,
LAA Vs. BOS: This is another tough call. Both teams are very good. Healthy the Sox probably have a better team but they are not healthy. It will be a good fight but I think overall the Sox will probably pull off a series win. I also hope they make it to the W.S.
TBR Vs. CHW: I think and hope the Rays have this one. I don't really feel like going into why because I am tired but yea Rays.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Off Season Moves : The Line-Up
First off let me start by saying anyone who wants to trade Wright, Reyes, or Beltran are crazy. These are arguably the best or second best players at each of their respective positions. That is also not to mention that Wright and Reyes are the faces of the franchise, are entering their prime years, and the front office would receive the wrath of the media and fans of NY for trading them. A Beltran trade would not aggravate NY like a Wright or Reyes trade would but it is nearly as dumb as trading them. He is the best center fielder in baseball. Beltran is in his prime and also one of the few players who contributed in the last few weeks of the season. So Wright, Reyes, and Beltran are deemed untouchable by me and we would be crazy to trade them.
Now the toughest offseason decision may come with the decision on whether or not to pick up the option on Delgado's contract. Delgado had a great bounce back year after an injury plagued 2007 and a slow start to 2008. Delgado finished 5th in the NL (8th in MLB) in RBI's with 115 and 3rd in MLB and NL in HRs with 38. This was all after a terrible start to the season. Delgado is an average 1b defensively but does a good job at catching wild throws. He was a legitimate MVP candidate until the Mets fell out of it and will probably finish top 5 in the voting this year. His option is for one year $12 million dollars but it would cost $4 million to decline the option. I would pick up the option. $8 million dollars is cheap for the production Delgado can put up. He is getting older and is injury prone but there are not many better options out there besides Texiera who will draw a ton of interest from other teams. I would pick up Delgado's option.
2b is currently manned by the injury prone Luis Castillo. Omar made possibly the biggest mistake as a Mets GM by signing Castillo for 4 years. Believe it or not, Castillo (healthy) IS a better option that Argenis Reyes. O-Dog Orlando Hudson is the best defensive 2b in the game right now but other than that he is a very average player. He doesn't hit for power, doesn't have a lot of speed, and has a career BA of .283. He has been hurt several times in the past 2 or 3 years and I don't see how signing him to a large pricey contract will be a smart move. I like him but I think sticking with Castillo would be a better option. I have heard the rumor that the Mets could possibly trade Castillo for Eric Byrnes. I would probably make that trade but I just don't see that happening even if the Mets do eat a lot of contract. He had a good year in 2007 but was terrible this year when he did play and has not been very good through his career. He is however a lively, hardnosed, gritty player which fans feel like the Mets need. So if the Met could make this trade I would go for it and have Murphy play second or sign a guy like Grudzielanek or Loretta to be a backup option.
As for LF (if the Mets do not make the Byrnes trade) I would sign Adam Dunn to a no more than 3 or 4 year deal. I have always been a big fan of Dunn. He is only 29, has a ton of power and gets on base a lot. On the flipside he strikes out a lot, doesn't hit for a good average, and isn't very good defensively. Reports however are that the Mets front office is not very big on him so I don't see this happening. I don't think that a platoon of Evans and Murphy is good enough for the whole year (especially if we use Murphy at 2b) so I would sign a stop gap player to a one or two year deal until F-Mart or someone else can take over. Raul Ibanez, a native New Yorker, expressed desire to come here and Carlos Beltran has said he is a great guy. He is also durable. Juan Rivera also would aslo be a younger and righthanded guy to go with. I would aslo sign Kevin Mench to a mior league deal if he would accept it. Manny Ramirez is without a doubt an amazing hitter but he is getting older, has been injury prone the past few years, and can be a huge headache. If he would go for a one or two year deal I would take a shot at him.
As far as catching goes I would stick with the tandem of Castro and Schneider although there has been rumors about Pudge coming to the Mets. I like Pudge but I wouldn't cut either Castro or Schneider for him. Depending on who we could get in a trade I may consider trading one of them and bringing Pudge aboard. However I would just stick with Castro and Schnider.
Right Field is Church. I wouldn't trade him unless we could get someone real good and I don't see that happening. I like Church alot and he should be the starting day RF.
Now finally to the Bench. Castro as the backup catcher. Endy Chavez and Fernando Tatis as the 4 and 5th outfielders. I would bring Trot Nixon back on a minor league deal and give him the shot to make the team because he is the ideal gritty tough nosed gamer. I would aslo bring Angel Pagan back on a minor league deal to see if he can recover from his injruty. I would ring Robinson Cancel back on a minor league deal. Argenis Reyes is a nice back up option for 2b. Easley is a solid and good player but he may be a little too old and injury prone to bring back. I would also have Valentino Pascucci as a backup 1b and possibly give Chris Aguila a shot as a backup OF.
So here is my ideal situation:
C: Schneider
1b: Delgado
2b: Castillo
ss: J. Reyes
3b. Wright
LF: Dunn
CF: Beltran
RF: Church
BN: Castro
BN: Chavez
BN: Pascucci
BN: Tatis
BN: A. Reyes
Now the toughest offseason decision may come with the decision on whether or not to pick up the option on Delgado's contract. Delgado had a great bounce back year after an injury plagued 2007 and a slow start to 2008. Delgado finished 5th in the NL (8th in MLB) in RBI's with 115 and 3rd in MLB and NL in HRs with 38. This was all after a terrible start to the season. Delgado is an average 1b defensively but does a good job at catching wild throws. He was a legitimate MVP candidate until the Mets fell out of it and will probably finish top 5 in the voting this year. His option is for one year $12 million dollars but it would cost $4 million to decline the option. I would pick up the option. $8 million dollars is cheap for the production Delgado can put up. He is getting older and is injury prone but there are not many better options out there besides Texiera who will draw a ton of interest from other teams. I would pick up Delgado's option.
2b is currently manned by the injury prone Luis Castillo. Omar made possibly the biggest mistake as a Mets GM by signing Castillo for 4 years. Believe it or not, Castillo (healthy) IS a better option that Argenis Reyes. O-Dog Orlando Hudson is the best defensive 2b in the game right now but other than that he is a very average player. He doesn't hit for power, doesn't have a lot of speed, and has a career BA of .283. He has been hurt several times in the past 2 or 3 years and I don't see how signing him to a large pricey contract will be a smart move. I like him but I think sticking with Castillo would be a better option. I have heard the rumor that the Mets could possibly trade Castillo for Eric Byrnes. I would probably make that trade but I just don't see that happening even if the Mets do eat a lot of contract. He had a good year in 2007 but was terrible this year when he did play and has not been very good through his career. He is however a lively, hardnosed, gritty player which fans feel like the Mets need. So if the Met could make this trade I would go for it and have Murphy play second or sign a guy like Grudzielanek or Loretta to be a backup option.
As for LF (if the Mets do not make the Byrnes trade) I would sign Adam Dunn to a no more than 3 or 4 year deal. I have always been a big fan of Dunn. He is only 29, has a ton of power and gets on base a lot. On the flipside he strikes out a lot, doesn't hit for a good average, and isn't very good defensively. Reports however are that the Mets front office is not very big on him so I don't see this happening. I don't think that a platoon of Evans and Murphy is good enough for the whole year (especially if we use Murphy at 2b) so I would sign a stop gap player to a one or two year deal until F-Mart or someone else can take over. Raul Ibanez, a native New Yorker, expressed desire to come here and Carlos Beltran has said he is a great guy. He is also durable. Juan Rivera also would aslo be a younger and righthanded guy to go with. I would aslo sign Kevin Mench to a mior league deal if he would accept it. Manny Ramirez is without a doubt an amazing hitter but he is getting older, has been injury prone the past few years, and can be a huge headache. If he would go for a one or two year deal I would take a shot at him.
As far as catching goes I would stick with the tandem of Castro and Schneider although there has been rumors about Pudge coming to the Mets. I like Pudge but I wouldn't cut either Castro or Schneider for him. Depending on who we could get in a trade I may consider trading one of them and bringing Pudge aboard. However I would just stick with Castro and Schnider.
Right Field is Church. I wouldn't trade him unless we could get someone real good and I don't see that happening. I like Church alot and he should be the starting day RF.
Now finally to the Bench. Castro as the backup catcher. Endy Chavez and Fernando Tatis as the 4 and 5th outfielders. I would bring Trot Nixon back on a minor league deal and give him the shot to make the team because he is the ideal gritty tough nosed gamer. I would aslo bring Angel Pagan back on a minor league deal to see if he can recover from his injruty. I would ring Robinson Cancel back on a minor league deal. Argenis Reyes is a nice back up option for 2b. Easley is a solid and good player but he may be a little too old and injury prone to bring back. I would also have Valentino Pascucci as a backup 1b and possibly give Chris Aguila a shot as a backup OF.
So here is my ideal situation:
C: Schneider
1b: Delgado
2b: Castillo
ss: J. Reyes
3b. Wright
LF: Dunn
CF: Beltran
RF: Church
BN: Castro
BN: Chavez
BN: Pascucci
BN: Tatis
BN: A. Reyes
The Other Side of Things in the NL East by T-Stro
A look at the Phillies by Tim Mastro
In March 2007 Jimmy Rollins had the “audacity” to claim that the Phillies were the team to beat in the NL East, not the Mets. After this comment he was abused and hated for what he said (what is he suppose to say? "The Mets are better than us"?). It was almost laughable to some at the time, how was a Phillie team made up of some unproven young players, some never-wases, some supposedly has-beens, and some good players here and there, suppose to be better than the free-spending, headline grabbing New York Mets. Fast forward to now; with a MVP award on his shelf and back to back NL East titles, its J-Roll that’s having the last laugh.
As a student at the University of Delaware I’m basically right in the heart of Phillie country. Two of my roommates are from the Philly area so I’ve watched almost every Phillies game since we moved back in. The only baseball I get here is the Phils (aside from the occasional O’s or Nats game on MASN). As a Met fan I’m suppose to hate the Phillies and root against them and I do, but they are just so fun to watch, aside from possible the worst commentary team in the history of sports. *RANT* I understand Harry Kalas is a legend but he is so annoying. Gary Matthews has the IQ of a four year old and sounds like he’s chewing on rocks, while Chris Wheeler is probably the most biased color man ever. “Wheels” is only outdone by the bias on the post-game show (especially you Mitch Williams, two words: Joe Carter), love those announcers that use the words we and us. *RANT OVER*
While watching the Phightin Phils one thing sticks out to me in particular and that is how much they remind me of the 99-00 Mets. The quality that both these teams share is that neither was ever out of a game. This whole September even if the Phils were down, somehow you think they would win, meanwhile with the current crop of Mets even if they were up, somehow you think they would find a way to lose. Just like the 2000 Mets it seemed almost like a different person every night would step up and be the hero for the Phillies. Both teams had so many weapons that could change the game at any point in time. They both were also so good at doing the little things like going from first to third, hitting behind the runner, sacrifices etc.
What is it that makes the Phils so good? It starts with the pitching. Young Cole Hamels was slowly brought up a couple years ago and is now turning into one of the premier pitchers in the game. The wily veteran Jamie Moyer is still going strong into his 40s while Brett Myers has shaped up his sometimes erratic behavior on and off the field and while doing so has found his ace potential stuff. A midseason trade saw the Phils acquire Joe Blanton as a solid number 4 starter. Then there is one of if not the best bullpens in the National League. Led by closer Brad Lidge, who they took a big risk on (that Pujols homerun is still probably traveling in orbit somewhere) and it certainly has paid off as Lidge did not blow a single save this year. Its not just Lidge however, the pen also contains solid and reliable relievers like J.C Romero, Scott Eyre, Ryan Madson, Rudy Seanez, and Chad Durbin (so this is what a functioning bullpen looks like… neat).
The Phils also have one of the most fearsome lineups in the league, its strong, fast, balanced, and has tons of pop, complete with a solid bench as well. Jayson Werth has figured out how to hit right-handers and has emerged into a legit star. Pat Burrell started the season off looking like an MVP candidate, and while he did find himself in a slump in August he woke up at the end of September to help the Phils into October. Shane Victorino is one of the best sparkplugs in the game and Charlie Manuel’s decision to move him down in the order to provide energy to the bottom of the lineup proved to be a genius move. Ryan Howard started off the season terribly but he turned it around and managed to help power the Phils and get himself a mention in the MVP race. J-Roll proved to be a tough leader and an energizer for this offense. This is J-Rolls team and he wants the pressure on himself to take this team to the next level, J-Roll thrives on this pressure and he almost always seems to come through in tough situations (are you taking notes Mr. Reyes?). Finally the Phillies have something so important it deserves its own paragraph:
They have Chase Utley.
33 HRs 104 RBIs and 113 Rs are some crazy good numbers for a second baseman. Also consider that Utley finished the season hitting safely in 18 of his last 19 games while the Phillies were making their surge past the Mets into first and into October. The last time I’ve seen a player that was as pure as a hitter as Utley was Edgardo Alfonzo. Alfonzo developed into a star in the late 90s and early 2000s and was amazingly clutch for the Mets back then. Utley right now is developing into probably the best player in the NL behind Albert Pujols.
Last year after the Mets’ collapse it was clear that the Phillies did not really win the division as much as the Mets lost it. The Phillies were thrilled with making into the playoffs that they were quickly dismissed by the Rockies. This year it seems like the Phillies really won the division. This year the celebrations at Citizens Bank Park were much more subdued than last year. Its like the Phillies expected to make the playoffs this year, they have higher goals than just making it this time around. This year they are not just happy to be there, they are actual World Series contenders.
In March 2007 Jimmy Rollins had the “audacity” to claim that the Phillies were the team to beat in the NL East, not the Mets. After this comment he was abused and hated for what he said (what is he suppose to say? "The Mets are better than us"?). It was almost laughable to some at the time, how was a Phillie team made up of some unproven young players, some never-wases, some supposedly has-beens, and some good players here and there, suppose to be better than the free-spending, headline grabbing New York Mets. Fast forward to now; with a MVP award on his shelf and back to back NL East titles, its J-Roll that’s having the last laugh.
As a student at the University of Delaware I’m basically right in the heart of Phillie country. Two of my roommates are from the Philly area so I’ve watched almost every Phillies game since we moved back in. The only baseball I get here is the Phils (aside from the occasional O’s or Nats game on MASN). As a Met fan I’m suppose to hate the Phillies and root against them and I do, but they are just so fun to watch, aside from possible the worst commentary team in the history of sports. *RANT* I understand Harry Kalas is a legend but he is so annoying. Gary Matthews has the IQ of a four year old and sounds like he’s chewing on rocks, while Chris Wheeler is probably the most biased color man ever. “Wheels” is only outdone by the bias on the post-game show (especially you Mitch Williams, two words: Joe Carter), love those announcers that use the words we and us. *RANT OVER*
While watching the Phightin Phils one thing sticks out to me in particular and that is how much they remind me of the 99-00 Mets. The quality that both these teams share is that neither was ever out of a game. This whole September even if the Phils were down, somehow you think they would win, meanwhile with the current crop of Mets even if they were up, somehow you think they would find a way to lose. Just like the 2000 Mets it seemed almost like a different person every night would step up and be the hero for the Phillies. Both teams had so many weapons that could change the game at any point in time. They both were also so good at doing the little things like going from first to third, hitting behind the runner, sacrifices etc.
What is it that makes the Phils so good? It starts with the pitching. Young Cole Hamels was slowly brought up a couple years ago and is now turning into one of the premier pitchers in the game. The wily veteran Jamie Moyer is still going strong into his 40s while Brett Myers has shaped up his sometimes erratic behavior on and off the field and while doing so has found his ace potential stuff. A midseason trade saw the Phils acquire Joe Blanton as a solid number 4 starter. Then there is one of if not the best bullpens in the National League. Led by closer Brad Lidge, who they took a big risk on (that Pujols homerun is still probably traveling in orbit somewhere) and it certainly has paid off as Lidge did not blow a single save this year. Its not just Lidge however, the pen also contains solid and reliable relievers like J.C Romero, Scott Eyre, Ryan Madson, Rudy Seanez, and Chad Durbin (so this is what a functioning bullpen looks like… neat).
The Phils also have one of the most fearsome lineups in the league, its strong, fast, balanced, and has tons of pop, complete with a solid bench as well. Jayson Werth has figured out how to hit right-handers and has emerged into a legit star. Pat Burrell started the season off looking like an MVP candidate, and while he did find himself in a slump in August he woke up at the end of September to help the Phils into October. Shane Victorino is one of the best sparkplugs in the game and Charlie Manuel’s decision to move him down in the order to provide energy to the bottom of the lineup proved to be a genius move. Ryan Howard started off the season terribly but he turned it around and managed to help power the Phils and get himself a mention in the MVP race. J-Roll proved to be a tough leader and an energizer for this offense. This is J-Rolls team and he wants the pressure on himself to take this team to the next level, J-Roll thrives on this pressure and he almost always seems to come through in tough situations (are you taking notes Mr. Reyes?). Finally the Phillies have something so important it deserves its own paragraph:
They have Chase Utley.
33 HRs 104 RBIs and 113 Rs are some crazy good numbers for a second baseman. Also consider that Utley finished the season hitting safely in 18 of his last 19 games while the Phillies were making their surge past the Mets into first and into October. The last time I’ve seen a player that was as pure as a hitter as Utley was Edgardo Alfonzo. Alfonzo developed into a star in the late 90s and early 2000s and was amazingly clutch for the Mets back then. Utley right now is developing into probably the best player in the NL behind Albert Pujols.
Last year after the Mets’ collapse it was clear that the Phillies did not really win the division as much as the Mets lost it. The Phillies were thrilled with making into the playoffs that they were quickly dismissed by the Rockies. This year it seems like the Phillies really won the division. This year the celebrations at Citizens Bank Park were much more subdued than last year. Its like the Phillies expected to make the playoffs this year, they have higher goals than just making it this time around. This year they are not just happy to be there, they are actual World Series contenders.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Off Season Moves : The Rotation
This is going to be the first of several editions of my ideas on what the Mets should do this off season. (Silver lining for my day yesterday: I won my fantasy league and $300) I'm going to do this series in parts. Let's all not try to overreact to the defeat yesterday and move on. Part 1: the Starting Rotation.
So for next season we have 3/5ths of the rotation already under contract: Johan Santana, John Maine, and Mike Pelfrey. All 3 of these guys have ace potential. Santan however is the only known commodity (should win Cy Young this year but probably won't). Pelfrey pitched many innings over his career high so people worry about an injury risk for next year/ bad year due to wear down. I don't think this should be much of a problem though. Maine has the potential to be an good number 2 guy and hopefully he rebounds quickly from his offseason surgery to remove the bone spurs from his elbow. Now that leaves 2 spots open with possibly the best 1 -3 punch in baseball if all stay healthy and live up to expectations.
Free Agent pithcers: Oliver Perez, Ben Sheets, CC Sabathia, Pedro Martinez, Randy Wolf, Kyle Loshe, Derek Lowe, AJ Burnett (possibly), Freddy Garcia, Paul Byrd, Jon Garland, Carl Pavano, Brad Penny (possibly), and Mark Prior just to name a few.
I am a huge fan of both Sheets and Perez as far as top of the line starters go. Sheets is one of the best pitchers in the league when healthy but he can't stay healthy. Perez is one of the best pitchers in the league when in the zone, however he often loses his head and his control goes along with it. I would be happy with signing either of these guys but the prices may be too high. I would be happy with signing one of them and Pedro. I know he sucked this year but this was the first real year he pitched without his "stuff". He was never able to find a groove and he is one of the smartest pitchers in the game. He is a clubhouse leader and a fun guy. He won't cost draft picks because he is not Type A or B free agent. He can come back as a number 5 starter and he could end up pitching like a number 3. Look at Mike Mussina. Great year this year after he was supposedly done and he is not nearly as good of a clubhouse guy as Pedro. If we decide to go for cheaper options than Perez or Sheets, I would definitely love to get Lowe. I say sign a combo of Sheet/Perez and Pedro or Lowe and Pedro. I also really like Paul Byrd but wouldn't sign him over Pedro. Freddy Garcia also wouldn't be a bad signing. I do not think Niese is ready to start in the Majors yet.
As for minor league depth. Bring back Claudio Vargas, Tony Armas, Nelson Figueroa (love him), and Brandon Knight. Knight and Figueroa could both be good long men. Also sign Mark Prior to a minor league deal. I love low risk/high reward moves like that. I was all for signing Colon this offseason to a minor league deal and if he'd go for why not again this year.
So for next season we have 3/5ths of the rotation already under contract: Johan Santana, John Maine, and Mike Pelfrey. All 3 of these guys have ace potential. Santan however is the only known commodity (should win Cy Young this year but probably won't). Pelfrey pitched many innings over his career high so people worry about an injury risk for next year/ bad year due to wear down. I don't think this should be much of a problem though. Maine has the potential to be an good number 2 guy and hopefully he rebounds quickly from his offseason surgery to remove the bone spurs from his elbow. Now that leaves 2 spots open with possibly the best 1 -3 punch in baseball if all stay healthy and live up to expectations.
Free Agent pithcers: Oliver Perez, Ben Sheets, CC Sabathia, Pedro Martinez, Randy Wolf, Kyle Loshe, Derek Lowe, AJ Burnett (possibly), Freddy Garcia, Paul Byrd, Jon Garland, Carl Pavano, Brad Penny (possibly), and Mark Prior just to name a few.
I am a huge fan of both Sheets and Perez as far as top of the line starters go. Sheets is one of the best pitchers in the league when healthy but he can't stay healthy. Perez is one of the best pitchers in the league when in the zone, however he often loses his head and his control goes along with it. I would be happy with signing either of these guys but the prices may be too high. I would be happy with signing one of them and Pedro. I know he sucked this year but this was the first real year he pitched without his "stuff". He was never able to find a groove and he is one of the smartest pitchers in the game. He is a clubhouse leader and a fun guy. He won't cost draft picks because he is not Type A or B free agent. He can come back as a number 5 starter and he could end up pitching like a number 3. Look at Mike Mussina. Great year this year after he was supposedly done and he is not nearly as good of a clubhouse guy as Pedro. If we decide to go for cheaper options than Perez or Sheets, I would definitely love to get Lowe. I say sign a combo of Sheet/Perez and Pedro or Lowe and Pedro. I also really like Paul Byrd but wouldn't sign him over Pedro. Freddy Garcia also wouldn't be a bad signing. I do not think Niese is ready to start in the Majors yet.
As for minor league depth. Bring back Claudio Vargas, Tony Armas, Nelson Figueroa (love him), and Brandon Knight. Knight and Figueroa could both be good long men. Also sign Mark Prior to a minor league deal. I love low risk/high reward moves like that. I was all for signing Colon this offseason to a minor league deal and if he'd go for why not again this year.
Playoff Predictions by Stevie D.
Hers playoff predictions from Stevie D. I'm surprised because I agree with most of it but I'll do mine later.
Play-offs predictions:
National League:
The Cubs are the National League Favorites, having the best pitching, starting with Zambrano, Harden, Lilly, and Dempster, and bullpen, in the NL and maybe in baseball. However, 100 years of sadness, chokes, and near-misses come to mind. The Phillies present the biggest challenge to the Cubs, having a better line-up, a solid bullpen anchored by Lidge who hasn’t blown a save this year and a decent starting rotation, anchored by the young gun Cole Hamels and the old vet, Jamie Moyer. I see these two teams meeting in the NLCS, with the Cubs and their better pitching prevailing, as pitching wins in the postseason.
American League:
The American League is much tighter and more complex than the National League. The ALDS gets off to a great match up with the Angels playing the Red Sox. I believe the winner of this series will represent the American League in the World Series. The Angels are healthier, have the better bullpen, and have as good as a rotation. The Red Sox have a strong rotation and a better line-up, as well as more play-off experience and you can never count out the defending champs. I’m going to go with the Angles, though I hate both of these teams and wished there was a way they would both lose, but it cannot happen. The Rays, the young, surprise AL East winners, will take on the winner of the AL Central. Though they may have play-off jitters, I see them moving on. In the Rays vs. The Angels, it’s the young scrappy team that has won with timely hitting and solid starting pitching against the high priced team with great pitching and a powerful middle of the line-up. I think that the Angels experience and pitching will be too much for the Rays to handle and that they will move on to the World Series.
World Series:
I predict it as the Cubs vs. the Angels. If this is the Series, be prepared for a well pitched exciting series in which every game comes down to the late innings. The Cubs have the edge in the starting pitching and it’s a toss-up on the bullpens. The Angels have the better line-up, with more weapons in the middle. The Cubs also have the expectations of 100 years on their back, which might make them tight. However, I believe that the Cubs are going to win in 7 games, behind Zambrano and Harden, who will each win two games and just enough hitting to support those guys.
Play-offs predictions:
National League:
The Cubs are the National League Favorites, having the best pitching, starting with Zambrano, Harden, Lilly, and Dempster, and bullpen, in the NL and maybe in baseball. However, 100 years of sadness, chokes, and near-misses come to mind. The Phillies present the biggest challenge to the Cubs, having a better line-up, a solid bullpen anchored by Lidge who hasn’t blown a save this year and a decent starting rotation, anchored by the young gun Cole Hamels and the old vet, Jamie Moyer. I see these two teams meeting in the NLCS, with the Cubs and their better pitching prevailing, as pitching wins in the postseason.
American League:
The American League is much tighter and more complex than the National League. The ALDS gets off to a great match up with the Angels playing the Red Sox. I believe the winner of this series will represent the American League in the World Series. The Angels are healthier, have the better bullpen, and have as good as a rotation. The Red Sox have a strong rotation and a better line-up, as well as more play-off experience and you can never count out the defending champs. I’m going to go with the Angles, though I hate both of these teams and wished there was a way they would both lose, but it cannot happen. The Rays, the young, surprise AL East winners, will take on the winner of the AL Central. Though they may have play-off jitters, I see them moving on. In the Rays vs. The Angels, it’s the young scrappy team that has won with timely hitting and solid starting pitching against the high priced team with great pitching and a powerful middle of the line-up. I think that the Angels experience and pitching will be too much for the Rays to handle and that they will move on to the World Series.
World Series:
I predict it as the Cubs vs. the Angels. If this is the Series, be prepared for a well pitched exciting series in which every game comes down to the late innings. The Cubs have the edge in the starting pitching and it’s a toss-up on the bullpens. The Angels have the better line-up, with more weapons in the middle. The Cubs also have the expectations of 100 years on their back, which might make them tight. However, I believe that the Cubs are going to win in 7 games, behind Zambrano and Harden, who will each win two games and just enough hitting to support those guys.
AL vs. NL by Stevie D.
Here's another post by new writer Stevie D. I disagree with a decent amount of the stuff in here and will almost definitely write a response to this.
AL vs NL
By Steven Delianites
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Who's to Blame?
Who is to blame for the Mets missing the post season in 2008? There are many different people and moves that can be blamed for the Mets season. I personally agree with what Mets owner Jeff Wilpon said today "I feel totally different than last year. I think last year we underachieved. This year we overachieved.'' I have to agree with him. I think that the Mets were lucky to be where they were. Without injuries I feel that the Mets were the best team in the league. They would have had the best rotation in baseball. Their offense would have been drammatically better and the bullpen would have been better. If you have to blame one single thing, blame injuries because we had a ton. Check out my earlier post for all the injuries "Goodbye Shea and 2008 Mets." If you want to blame individual people, there's alot to be spread around. You can blame nearly every member of the bullpen because at one point in time they blew a game. You can blame Manuel for his use of the bullpen. He overused the same guys day in and day out regardless of the situation. Even today he left Schow in when a right handed PH was announced. You can blame Wright for not hitting enough with runners in scoring position all year. You can blame plenty of people. I don't blame individuals. The offense didn't show up and the bullpen choked. In reality the Mets overachieved due to all of the injuries. You cannot really blame them for this. Sure it sucks that they didn't make the playoffs but thats life. Last year they should have made it. Last year they choked. This year is a little different in my eyes. Life goes on. Next year guys.
Spirit- by A, Gochal
This is the first post that is not by me (The Red King). It is by new writer Gochal. Here it is, copy and pasted right from the email.
Spirit
Watching the Mets is one of the most exciting things professionally sports has to offer. In looking at other teams in the league no one appears to have quite as much fun as the Mets have day in and day out. I mean isn’t that the fundamental aspect of baseball. Anyone whose played little league has heard at least 100 times “Just go out there and have fun”, or “win or lose you’re here to have fun and play baseball”. The Mets simply love the game and love to have fun. They are in touch with that inner spirit of the game, and that is why they are the best team in baseball. Look at what happens when you just have fun, your fans have fun, you win games, and you make unbelievable plays. I mean if your just having fun then you’re not thinking about the pressure. The obvious Met who love to have fun of course is Jose Reyes, but take a look at Endy Chaves. Time after time he comes up with big plays, and why is that? He’s not thinking about the pressure he’s just there to play the game. It’s a known fact that when you’re relaxed and not nervous you play better, and Endy is a perfect example of this.
One conversation I always seem to have with people is the difference between college and professional sports. The general idea that I get is that college sports are more enjoyable to watch. For the most part I agree with this. In college, athletes seem to play harder because it is for their own reasons, their own reputation. Professional athletes seem to lose that edge once they start getting paid. They tend to focus on making money, and playing like it’s their duty to play, not because of their love for the game. In general I would agree with these people, college sports are more enjoyable, except the Mets. The Mets have that spirit, that edge, that love for the sport and it shows every play.
Most simply stated, The Mets have fun, love the game, and that makes them the best team in baseball.
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