OT: Philadelphia Phillies (MLB): Senior Citizens Bank Park

[FLYguy3911]

 

[usahockey22flyers]

Not a bad signing. I like our starters.

Also whenever I think of Stairs all I can hear is Joe Buck say "Stairs sends one deep into the night" or "Way into the night" I forgot and I'm in politics class so I can't listen to the call on youtube lol

 

[The Couturier Effect]

Hamels
Lee
Burnett
Kendrick
MAG (maybe?)

If healthy, that's a pretty solid rotation. If Howard can get back to/close to 30HR 100+ RBI, we may beat out the Mets for 3rd place in the East.

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

Hamels
Lee
Burnett
Kendrick
MAG (maybe?)

If healthy, that's a pretty solid rotation. If Howard can get back to/close to 30HR 100+ RBI, we may beat out the Mets for 3rd place in the East.

Don't forget about Hernandez/Carmona. I don't expect him to light it up by any means, but he could be a solid 4/5 guy.

 

[Hiesenberg]

Mitch Williams was suggesting that MAG go into the 5/6/7 inning role early on, so that he can just work on blowing guys away to get confidence.

With the addition of Burnett, I can see that happening, they can use Kendrick and Hernandez on the back end.

 

[Sniped]

Too many "ifs" every year with this team. Good signing, but doesn't change the fact this team is most likely gonna be mediocre (or worse).

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

Too many "ifs" every year with this team. Good signing, but doesn't change the fact this team is most likely gonna be mediocre (or worse).

I think really the "ifs" are all on the offensive side of the ball. The starting pitching is solid. As much as people complain about Kendrick, he's not bad for a 5th starter, so he's not really an "if" to me. MAG or whomever is the 4th starter I guess could be an "if," but not the kind of "if" that really would make me nervous. 4/5 guys are pretty interchangeable throughout the league so I'm not too worried about their performance. The bullpen is pretty much the same. Pappelbon is overpaid, but he isn't an "if." He'll put up good numbers on the back end. Bastardo should be pretty solid in the 7/8 spot as well, and the rest is pretty decent. Nothing to write home about but it isn't terrible.

The offense is really where the "ifs" come in to play. If...

Utley, Howard, and D-Brown play the way we hope
Byrd has a year similar to last year
Chooch keeps his average up
Revere can be the sparkplug
Rollins can actually take a pitch and not swing for HR every time
Asche shows improvement

and so forth and so on.

 

[Hiesenberg]

The bullpen stinks and the 4/5 spot stinks.

 

[JDinkalage Morgoone]

I'm not very hopeful about the year either but at least Burnett provides some excitement. 1 year deal, I'm good with it.

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

The bullpen stinks and the 4/5 spot stinks.

The bullpen is fine. It isn't great and it obviously could be better, but I'm comfortable with the way it has shaken out.

Paps
Bastardo
Adams
MAG/Hernandez
Lincoln

should be pretty solid (Adams really can't be any worse than he was last season). Then you have some wild cards with whomever winds up filling out the roster.

Aumont
Martin
Diekman
De Fratus

Even if these guys aren't great, the other arms will pick up the slack. Most bullpens have a couple arms that aren't ideal. This isn't the best bullpen in the league, but I don't think it will be an issue.

Same thing with the 4/5 spot. Around the league the 4/5 starter is pretty much a dime-a-dozen. Kendick isn't very good, which is why he is a #5 starter. No one is expecting anything from him, nor should they. He's going to pitch like a #5 starter. I guess the #4 starter could be an IF. Hernandez could be decent there or he could suck, same with MAG. But again, the #4/5 spot being an IF is no different than most other teams. The Phillies won the World Series with Kendrick/Blanton/Eaton on the back end of the rotation (and no Cliff Lee or AJ Burnett at the front).

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

The bullpen is fine. It isn't great and it obviously could be better, but I'm comfortable with the way it has shaken out.

Paps
Bastardo
Adams
MAG/Hernandez
Lincoln

should be pretty solid (Adams really can't be any worse than he was last season). Then you have some wild cards with whomever winds up filling out the roster.

Aumont
Martin
Diekman
De Fratus

Even if these guys aren't great, the other arms will pick up the slack. Most bullpens have a couple arms that aren't ideal. This isn't the best bullpen in the league, but I don't think it will be an issue.

Same thing with the 4/5 spot. Around the league the 4/5 starter is pretty much a dime-a-dozen. Kendick isn't very good, which is why he is a #5 starter. No one is expecting anything from him, nor should they. He's going to pitch like a #5 starter. I guess the #4 starter could be an IF. Hernandez could be decent there or he could suck, same with MAG. But again, the #4/5 spot being an IF is no different than most other teams. The Phillies won the World Series with Kendrick/Blanton/Eaton on the back end of the rotation (and no Cliff Lee or AJ Burnett at the front).

Did we keep Stutes or no? I liked him.

 

[JDinkalage Morgoone]

The bullpen is fine. It isn't great and it obviously could be better, but I'm comfortable with the way it has shaken out.

Paps
Bastardo
Adams
MAG/Hernandez
Lincoln

should be pretty solid (Adams really can't be any worse than he was last season). Then you have some wild cards with whomever winds up filling out the roster.

Aumont
Martin
Diekman
De Fratus

Even if these guys aren't great, the other arms will pick up the slack. Most bullpens have a couple arms that aren't ideal. This isn't the best bullpen in the league, but I don't think it will be an issue.

Same thing with the 4/5 spot. Around the league the 4/5 starter is pretty much a dime-a-dozen. Kendick isn't very good, which is why he is a #5 starter. No one is expecting anything from him, nor should they. He's going to pitch like a #5 starter. I guess the #4 starter could be an IF. Hernandez could be decent there or he could suck, same with MAG. But again, the #4/5 spot being an IF is no different than most other teams. The Phillies won the World Series with Kendrick/Blanton/Eaton on the back end of the rotation (and no Cliff Lee or AJ Burnett at the front).

Bullpen seems to be the most volatile part of a team in terms of performance from year to year (besides the closer) anyway so the Phillies could end up having a good one. Time will tell, really.

 

[King Forsberg]

I'm starting to feel some very feint optimism about this season. Very feint but I can feel it. I'm not sure why, maybe I just don't feel like watching meaningless baseball all summer but #WorldSeriesOrBust

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

Did we keep Stutes or no? I liked him.

Not sure, but you can throw him on the list of he's there.

Bullpen seems to be the most volatile part of a team in terms of performance from year to year (besides the closer) anyway so the Phillies could end up having a good one. Time will tell, really.

This is true. But with the guys we have I don't think you can look at them and say they will suck. I'm not saying they will be excellent, but Paps is solid, as is Bastardo. Mike Adams' career numbers suggest he should pitch better than he did last year (I know, I know, he is in his thirties so there is no way he can bounce back). Brad Lincoln should be a solid arm out of the pen. Not going to dominate but have the ability to keep the game in check. MAG could be real good in the pen if he winds up there, and Hernandez is another solid arm. The rest are somewhat question marks, but even if they stink it up, most teams have an arm or two that is less than ideal that is changing throughout the season with call-ups and signings and so forth and so on. It's not the best bullpen in the league but I don't look at it and think that this team is doomed because of it.

 

[Sniped]

I think really the "ifs" are all on the offensive side of the ball. The starting pitching is solid. As much as people complain about Kendrick, he's not bad for a 5th starter, so he's not really an "if" to me. MAG or whomever is the 4th starter I guess could be an "if," but not the kind of "if" that really would make me nervous. 4/5 guys are pretty interchangeable throughout the league so I'm not too worried about their performance. The bullpen is pretty much the same. Pappelbon is overpaid, but he isn't an "if." He'll put up good numbers on the back end. Bastardo should be pretty solid in the 7/8 spot as well, and the rest is pretty decent. Nothing to write home about but it isn't terrible.

The offense is really where the "ifs" come in to play. If...

Utley, Howard, and D-Brown play the way we hope
Byrd has a year similar to last year
Chooch keeps his average up
Revere can be the sparkplug
Rollins can actually take a pitch and not swing for HR every time
Asche shows improvement

and so forth and so on.

Lol, I laughed how many times you used if in the first paragraph. Don't forget if you can't score runs... you're not gonna win games man. The point I bolded is the most critical, without them producing at a high level, we are DONE.

I'm not saying anything about the bullpen yet because they disappoint every year, but surely this year could be different. I just don't see this team being a good team anymore...

 

[Halladay]

I'm starting to feel some very feint optimism about this season. Very feint but I can feel it. I'm not sure why, maybe I just don't feel like watching meaningless baseball all summer but #WorldSeriesOrBust

drinking before the storm?

 

[Broad Street Elite]

Burnett is an excellent signing. As a number 3, he's amazing. If we sneak in, having those 3 guys at the top of the rotation would make us a pain in the ass to play in the playoffs.

All that said, this team is going to take a ton of breaks to be healthy enough to compete.

 

[El Emperor]

Burnett is an excellent signing. As a number 3, he's amazing. If we sneak in, having those 3 guys at the top of the rotation would make us a pain in the ass to play in the playoffs.

All that said, this team is going to take a ton of breaks to be healthy enough to compete.

Cardinals sure found a way to beat that pain in the ass Halladay/Lee/Hamels/Oswalt tandem. Pitching is great and all, but when the bats don't show up, doesn't mean much.

Just hope this geriatric lineup can stay healthy enough to hold out for the long haul. If not, maybe Burnett can get get us some prospects back into this sad farm system.

 

[King Forsberg]

drinking before the storm?

That along with the news of Matt Stairs being back has me back believing.

 

[FlyingPhilly]

Senior Citizens Bank Park indeed. It is an extremely apt name

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

So Halladay is down in Clearwater wearing his full uniform.

 

[JDinkalage Morgoone]

So Halladay is down in Clearwater wearing his full uniform.

Hahah what

 

[flyershockey]

So Halladay is down in Clearwater wearing his full uniform.

Part of the staff somehow?

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

Hahah what

Matt Gelb ‏@magelb 1h
Roy Halladay is here, in uniform. Players are teasing him. “Hey, coach!â€

Matt Gelb ‏@magelb 1h
Larry Andersen is in uniform too. The teases for him are less playful.

 

[JDinkalage Morgoone]

Matt Gelb ‏@magelb 1h
Roy Halladay is here, in uniform. Players are teasing him. “Hey, coach!â€

Matt Gelb ‏@magelb 1h
Larry Andersen is in uniform too. The teases for him are less playful.

Oh lol. I knew they brought him on as some kind of assistant, just didn't expect him to be in full uniform.