Running Philadelphia Phillies Thread

we took the 3rd, second series we won against the Phillies. Scored, 7, 6, and 8, Phillies need some pitching? We scored, 5, 3 , and 6 in the last series.

Dodgers are one of the hottest teams in baseball, our young off the farm talent is really shining right now, just hope it continues. We have a tough July schedule.

 

Won the series? Try split. Phillies win today to get it. Like every other team the Phillies have 2 SP that are true ML caliber. That would be Myers and Lieber. Hamels and Floyd are youngsters that could be something (Hamels more than ever). Lidle is nothing more than a veteren innings eater.

 

yea, my fault, didn't realise we played Philly again today.

 

From Philly.com
With the merciful arrival of the all-star break, Pat Gillick is officially on the clock.

The Phillies' first-year general manager is much more than a mere model for the Hawaiian-shirt industry. He is a baseball lifer with a winning pedigree and no reason to apologize for anything that has happened so far this year. Hired in November and limited by big contracts and no-trade clauses, Gillick could have only so much impact on the 2006 season.

Now that it's over - well, except for the technicality of completing the scheduled games - Gillick should put his stamp on this team.

First up: accepting that 2006 is over. It was disheartening to see Gillick on Comcast SportsNet Thursday, still talking about being within striking distance of the wild card and therefore not willing to declare himself a seller before the July 31 trade deadline.

Let's hope those words were for the benefit of his players. Let's hope that Gillick has a password-protected file on his laptop that outlines a master plan for catapulting the Phillies into a new era.

Let's hope it includes at least some of the following:

Define yourself. What is Phillies baseball? We can safely rule out disciplined hitting, a high baseball IQ, crisp defense, a comprehensive approach to pitching. Instead of randomly adding players to the team, the Phillies need to establish a style and find and develop players who fit that style.

Ideally, fitness would be a part of this style, especially for the pitchers. Sit-ups are not dangerous. There's a reason some of the starters are spent by the sixth inning, or get hurt when forced to move suddenly.

The Brett Myers dilemma. There are two ways to go here. Gillick can allow the market to dictate. Make Myers available on the trade market. In return, insist on getting your long-term solution at catcher or third base, plus some young arms. Considering Myers' age and potential, you may even find teams willing to take on the salary of David Bell or Mike Lieberthal to get him. Take advantage of this. The suitors would be lining up for a 24 year old potential ace.

If the market isn't what you need to part with a potential ace, then it gets a little trickier. To salvage Myers' career here after his June 23 arrest on domestic abuse charges, you can't operate like the Phillies. You have to be aggressive, convincing Myers he must address the situation as sincerely and as openly as possible before he returns to the mound.

If he comes off like the lunkhead who said he's sorry it "got public," he may never rebound from this. If he is contrite, if he has grasped the severity of the issue and matured, he will have a chance to move on with his life and his career.

Aces, not deuces.It is time to end the cycle of paying No. 1-starter money to someone else's No. 3 guy with the hope that he can step up and become an ace. Whether his name is Andy Ashby or Kevin Millwood or Eric Milton, he can't.

The most encouraging signs in recent weeks were high-quality starts by Ryan Madson and Scott Mathieson. With Cole Hamels and Gavin Floyd, this gives you a pool of four young pitchers (five if you keep Myers) that could form the foundation of a rotation. Add a legitimate ace through free agency or a trade, and you're getting there.

Sell, sell, sell. It's easy for fans and (ahem) media loudmouths to suggest trading half the roster. It's harder to find good value for all of them and to plug holes as you create new ones.

No one is sanely advocating dumping everyone. Gillick needs to take as much care in trading a hitter such as Bobby Abreu as Billy King takes in moving Allen Iverson. A bad deal can haunt you for a long time. It would be a lot better to have Abreu in right field next year, putting up his numbers, than to add him to the list with Scott Rolen and Curt Schilling.

The idea is to get as much as possible for your assets, with one eye on your new Phillies-style ball and another on creating a dangerous, functional lineup and respectable pitching staff.

The skipper.No one, including Charlie Manuel, will be surprised if Gillick changes managers - at the break, after the season, whenever - to usher in this new era. To the name of Lou Piniella, why not add Cito Gaston? :bananalam He has won two World Series to Piniella's one, and he worked with Gillick for years in Toronto. Just a thought.

One last thought.Gillick should not judge this team based on half a season, but on the 13 years and counting since the Phillies went to the postseason. It's urgent, Pat.

 

Knew this was coming along. Hate to see him go but in this sellers market someone like Abreu could fetch PLENTY



The Yankees and Mets have both informed the Phillies that they have an interest in making a trade for Bobby Abreu, according to a report in the New York Post.
Abreu is owed about $23.5 million through the 2007 season, which includes a $2 million buyout should his $16 million option for 2008 not be exercised. Abreu also has a no-trade clause and, to waive that, his agent, Peter Greenberg, indicated the option would probably have to be picked up or additional dollars added to the contract.

Citing a National League executive, the newspaper also reported that Phillies GM Pat Gillick will give his team two weeks to get back into the playoff race or else he will more seriously consider making major trades.

 

Add one more team to the list of clubs interested in Bobby Abreu -- Milwaukee.
The Brewers recently contacted the Phillies to see what it might take to get Abreu, an executive of a club with interest in the right fielder told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. But don't bet your favorite photo of Bernie Brewer on this deal going down.

The Brewers still haven't decided if they?re going to be buyers or sellers. And even if Milwaukee stepped up its pursuit, a baseball man friendly with Abreu says he would be surprised if Abreu waived his no-trade clause to go to the Brewers.

 

Is this idiot aware of the wildcard spot?

 

This just in. The Phillies don't have the pitching to even think they are in the wild card hunt

 

This not just in. Cincy's pitching sucks too. If he wants to unload the contract so as to start rebuilding or obtain pitching, that's fine. But to proclaim the team out of the playoff picture when they are 5.5 back is silly at best.

 

Ok, yes they are in the wild card race but long term and the way the market is so thin for talent I think it would be a smart move to trade someone like Abeau to get some young pitching or another bat. Abreau is 33? and owed plenty for what he has done this year. Abreau said he wishes to pl,ay in the NL still. NO WAY in hell do they trade him to the Mets