Harry Kalas (1936 – 2009)

Rest in peace.

TXT: All-Star Game Review

> Mets Fan> Thanks Lidge
>
> Phillies Fan> At least he didn’t blow
> the save (sorry Billy)
>
> Mets Fan> Loss is worse
>
> Phillies Fan> Whatever. Holding is not his job. In save situations his
> first-half ERA is something like 0.30. But when Phillies aren’t winning?
> It’s ugly
>
> Mets Fan> He pitched like he was drunk
>
> Phillies Fan>  He was exhausted
> He warmed-up in the 8th inning
> He warmed-up in the 9th inning
> He warmed-up in the 10th inning
> He warmed-up in the 11th inning
> He warmed-up in the 12th inning
> He warmed-up in the 13th inning
> He warmed-up in the 14th inning
>
> Phillies Fan> Besides, the Phillies have a better winning % on the road.
> That will help in the WS. And don’t lie, you wished Pat was there to
> pump one into the upper deck.
>
> Mets Fan> Yeah, it would have been nice to get some sleep last night…
>
> Phillies Fan> Do All-Star stats go towards your fantasy stuff…
>
> Mets Fan> Thank God no! I have Uggla and errors are bad!!!!
>
> Phillies Fan> See ya at Shea.

Friday Cage Match: Happ vs. Myers

In reality, this subject is a non-issue. With all the $$$ invested in Myers, there is no way the Phillies will leave him in Triple A if he has even moderate to middling success.

I wouldn’t mind keeping Happ up for another three or four more starts (assuming he maintains his current performance). Sure, he gets into trouble, but he also seems to get out of it. I think that the longer the fiercely-competitive Myers is kept away from the spotlight and adulation he adores, the more he’ll want his old role back. The more motivated he is, the better he’ll pitch.

Happ could be this year’s Kendrick, or he could be one start away from being lit up like a roman candle. Who knows? He’s made two good starts against two good teams. So when Myers gets reinserted into the rotation, I’ll feel better at night knowing that the Phillies at least have a viable option if injury were to strike.

Winner: Happ. Thoughts?

Phillies to sign Sexson?

Richie Sexson = Big Bat

A huge disappointment for the last two years in Seattle, Richie Sexson has been released by the Mariners. (Oh yeah, and that Bedard guy hit the DL.)

Charlie Manuel has been saying the Phillies need another big bat.

Is it kismet?

I don’t know anything about their relationship, but they were pretty sucessfull together in Cleveland. Maybe with Charlie’s tutalidge and the friendly confines of the Bank, Sexson could revive his career?

But can he play rightfield or pinch-hit?

Friday Cage Match: Burrell vs Manuel (Early Edition)

Why does Charlie keep pulling Pat out of games?

Last year it made sense. Burrell was hobbled by his chronic bad foot, so he was limited defensively and on the base paths. This year he’s been the proverbial picture of health. Apparently nobody can figure why it’s become so important to pull Pat in the seventh or eighth inning. What’s really distressing is, after he gets yanked, his replacement comes up for an important at bat late in the game.

Does Charlie think Pat is that much of a liability? The last I heard, he still had a gun for an arm and he’s not that bad of a fielder. We’re not talking Luzinski vs the Dodgers here. Is it because he’s slow? The other night Charlie pulled him for a pinch runner. The pinch runner was Geoff Jenkins, which is absolutely insane since Jenkins is as slow at Burrell.

Pat is (understandably) annoyed with the entire situation. Due to his bench time, he’s missed over 50 at bats and the Phillies have missed more than a few opportunities where one of his long fly balls (either as a home run or a sacrifice) would have come in handy.

Winner: Burrell. Charlie, let him play. Thoughts?

VOTE FOR PAT!

There are only a few hours left!

Click on the pic and cast your vote to send Pat to the All-Star Game (or vote for anyone other than David Wright).

Don’t forget what former-Mayor Wilson Goode used to say: “Vote early and vote often.”

The best part? It’s actually allowed this time…

If we learn only one thing…

Blame it on the hats...

from the last three games, it’s this: Fourth of July hats should only be worn on the Fourth of July.

That’s right. It wasn’t the Mets. It wasn’t the mostly cold offense. It wasn’t even Adam Eaton.

It was the stupid novelty hats the Phillies were wearing. I love America, but after those games, I hate those accursed hats.

OMG: Phillies own Lidge thru 2011.

Brad Lidge

Well, Brett Myers is probably a little pissed-off right now. A week after being shipped off to the Lehigh Valley to “work things out,” the Phillies inked current closer Brad Lidge to a $37.5 million, three-year extension. With Lidge becoming a free agent after this season, I thought for sure that the Phillies would let him go and then slide Myers into the “rock-star’ role. Sorry Brett.

In November, the Phillies swapped five players to Huston for Lidge. Despite some initial skepticism that Lidge would not be able to hack the “friendly confines” of the Bank, he has been incredible this year for the Phillies with 19 saves in 19 chances and a 0.77 ERA in 35 appearances.

Hope he can keep it up for another three and a half years…

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Happ-y with first game, not so much with the second.

Well, JA Happ did a great job on the Fourth of July allowing only two runs through 4.2 innings. If he hadn’t been squeezed by the ump during Wright’s at bat, he would have only give up one run in five innings. Not bad against the Mets. I’m excited to see his next start.

Jamie Moyer again pitched a great game, and again was let down by his teammates – – although this time it was the bullpen. I don’t want to second guess Charlie, but I would have let Romero dig himself out of his own mess. That guy could pull it together and strike out the side.  I would also really think hard about putting Flash into that kind of situation. The way his arm has been…

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Happ-less to be sacrificed; Carrasco to be traded?

The decision has been made. With the Myers demotion, JA Happ will start today (Friday) against the Mets. This is probably depressing news for the Happ-less One, since he made his only major league appearance against the Mets about a year ago (June 30) and got lit like a Christmas tree. A year is a long time for a young pitcher, so hopefully he will fare better (although judging by the Mets resurgent offense, I’m not going to get my hopes up too much).

With Happ being picked to fill Myers spot, does that mean that Carlos Carrasco is destined for another (rainy) team? I think it’s a pretty clever choice by the Phillies to have Happ pitch instead of Carrasco. If Carrasco were to pitch, and get lit up by the Mets his value as a “major league ready prospect” would decrease substantially. If they keep him in the minors, he remains a “phenom.”

Would another drubbing by the Mets ruin Happ’s value? Not really. Despite what I tell my pal Pete (a life-long Mets fan), when working the Mets have the best offense in the NL. Nobody will blink twice if a kid gets beaten up… as long as he’s not being touted as “the next big thing” like we’re hearing about Carrasco.

The way Carrasco is being built up right now, he may never live up to our expectations. But I still think the Phillies should keep him. Even if he just ends up being a third or fourth starter on the MLB level, the Phillies will have need of him in the next few years. Especially if the Phillies are going to sign a few free agents in the next few years. And if the do that, they will lower their overall draft picks, and therefore make the farm system even more barren of high ceiling talent.

Plus you know that I have concerns about Gillick feathering his next nest…