Mike Schmidt Offers Scathing (But Fair) Criticism of Werth, Nats

The Phillies Hall of Famer, writing for the AP, points out several relevant points ignored by all parties involved in the right fielder's recent signing with the NL East perennial basement dweller:

He’s durable, can run like a deer, play a Gold Glove right field and hit with power. He can be the real deal, but will he? In Philly, the stars were aligned perfectly for him. Should the Nationals have considered this?

This is what puzzles me about this contract. Are the Nationals in a position to wager $126 million that he can do it all? In Philly, Jayson had men on base on a regular basis with proven players Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino and Chase Utley stirring it up. He could stumble into 75 RBIs just by playing everyday, but he only drove in 85 last season.

In Washington, the lineup is young and inexperienced, right-handed dominant, and the park is big, so RBIs will not come as easily. RBIs are much tougher when everyone’s counting. Jayson now will be the man, the cleanup hitter with the burden of production, far surpassing anything he has experienced. His name will be first on the opposition’s “don’t let him beat us” list. If the Nationals don’t come up with a legit left-handed bat behind him, he will quickly see what Ryan Howard had to deal with in Philly...

Is it good business to drop $126 million in the lap of a player who is in the growth stage?

The Phillies had the right plan for Jayson, a plan that worked well for Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. Both were slowly adjusted upward. Ryan was forced to use arbitration, then a competitive multiyear deal and then, after Rookie of the Year, MVP award and averaging 135 RBIs a season, he got his bonanza. Not a gamble, a lock.

Utley’s path was similar. Up through the Phillies system, slowly climbed the salary ladder, became the best second baseman in the game, will jump to Howard money soon. Again, like buying Apple stock, no risk. This is good management. The Phillies were looking for the same for Jayson. He was one 30-homer/100-RBI year from $100-plus million with Philadelphia, and maybe a couple more championship rings with them. But today the open market is irresistible.

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Phillies to Sign Geoff "Leeeeeeroy" Jenkins

Former Brewers outfielder Jenkins agrees with Phils

Can someone get me a number crunch real quick?



Stick to the plan.

God damnit, Geoff.

Retro Gold Mine

Found by Michael Milici at Bugs and Cranks.



Wow they sucked. The commercials, not the team. Well, the teams of the mid-to-late 80's sucked too.

This is the best Giles could come up with? The marketing wiz?

Roll out Harry for pete's sake. I do like the Von Hayes spots sans mustachio.

Misleading Headline?

...or just fodder for a new Cole Hamel Fact?

Philly.com: Hamels to head home, help fire victims

Take that, Chuck Norris, and you too, Jack Bauer.

Shecky Gillick

Take my left fielder...please.

Phils Might kick in $1.5M to unload Burrell

(Photo: Match Game Wallpaper Factory)

I just flew in from mediocrity and boy are my arms tired!

(Photo: deadspin.com)

2 Observations Late in the Phils/Rocks Game

1. Just before the Victorino home run, there was a shot of the crowd that included a guy with a shirt that read "Phuck Filly."

This girl would love him.

2. Matt Herges looks like a guy on your slow pitch, beer league softball team that plays in jeans/jorts and no spikes and slips all around the field.

Greatest Fans in the World

Video via the700level via Philly.com

Click here:

"I did not have sexual relations with Charlie Manuel."

"We're Gonna Win"

Far be it for us to defend Uncle Choo-Choo. Truth is there is a distinct chance the Phillies would have won a few more games (and not had this division race come down to the last day) if the manager knew how to make a double switch, use a bullpen, and not make a defensive sub in the 5th inning when the pen couldn't hold a lead (only to run out of pinch hitters).


Uncle Choo-Choo managed to hold the quad together despite, as Mark Eckel notes today, the Phitins having to overcome "every starter except shortstop Jimmy Rollins, and outfielders Aaron Rowand and Pat Burrell and every starting pitcher except Jamie Moyer spending time on the disabled list."

Credit must also be given to one Ed Wade. Longtime the poster child for Philadelphia sports discontent, it is essentially the pieces that Wade put together that got the Phils to their first post season since 1993, while Pat Gillick's multi-million dollar players populated the DL or rendered themselves ineffective when they did play.



Right now, I see the world through red and white colored glasses. I am reading Bill Giles' Pouring Six Beers at a Time and just got to the 1980 championship team. As I think of that team compared to the current one, it amazes me the amount of discontent that the 1980's team had to overcome, the least of which being what's basically described as downright hatred of their manager. As this year's team seems to rush to each other's defense, especially to that of their manager, I do wonder the extent to which liking to play for "Chollie" really had an impact on this team, compared to them just having a solid squad, namely bombers on offense and great D up the middle.

One way or another, here we are.

It is a hard team not to like, and if they keep moving forward in the post-season, he could turn out to be a hard manager not to like.

-posted by Ren McCormack

A friend of HHR's

Gives his non-Philadelphia fan thoughts on the Phillies NL East crown...

(JERRY LODRIGUSS / Inquirer Staff Photographer)

A temporary Phan.

It's Been a Long Time

Citizens Bank Park will soon be called, "The House that Cole Built", literally, since Cole built the entire stadium by himself, on only 3 days rest.

(Click logo)

Poor Form

I picked up a copy of The Vet: The Complete History of Phillies Baseball at Veterans Stadium DVD for 10 bucks while watching the Phils beat the Marlins last weekend.

I popped it in over this past weekend, and began reliving childhood memories.

Nowadays, as we are plagued with what seems to be sports scandal after sports scandal, in the midst of it, surprisingly, you haven't heard much on the topic's perennially whipping boy: Challie Hustle.

As I am watching the DVD and they are going on about how he was the missing piece in those championship runs, they showed footage of him sliding into third.

The man could punch the ball around the field and get on base. Once on base, however, the all-time hits leader is the all time worst slider. Ever. No comparison.

It's probably good he felt the need to put his shoulder down and barrel into catchers, because he sure as hell couldn't avoid a tag.

I mean look at this:



And that picture is a MILD example. Usually he is three feet higher off the ground. And to make matters worse, he slides DIRECTLY AT THE BAG. Airborne, straight at the bag. Why the hell bother sliding? And then, not to mention, doesn't that hurt? You are belly-flopping on dirt. For no reason other than to make it look like you're really, really hustling.

Bad sliding. Check.
Bad reputation. Check.
Bad hair. Check.

Not to mention the worst batting stance this side of the Agilar Bros.



At least he smells like a man.

Separated at Birth

My Name is Dobbs

Sweating out the Phillies game in between NFL telecasts, Ariel says to me: "Don't worry, your boy Dobbsy's up."

BANG!

Salami.

Karma is a good thing. Bless you, Ariel, pulling your best Patty Arquette/Alabama Woorley.

Dick-tor-ino

Ladies and Gentleman, we have another Will Demps on our hands.

As we all know, Ren and I are big fans of Philly sports, particularly the Phils and the Birds.

Over the past baseball season we've learned some things about on of our favorite Phils, Shane Victorino. Ren was an early fan on the Flyin' Hawaiian for obvious reasons - his speed, consistency, rocket arm and generally what just seemed like good natured sportsmanship.

Two things happened this year to make us think otherwise:

Incident #1 - Each year the Phillies host "Photo Day" usually held on a Saturday or Sunday, it gives fans the opportunity to come a few hours early for a day game, and get a chance to take pictures and get autographs from all of the players. My cousin took his 9-year old son, and huge Phillies fan out to photo day. Came home with tons of pictures, some great and stories about players who were really nice and genuine (believe it or not, they found Pat the Pat to be among the nicest, friendliest players, particularly to the kids), but also came home with a huge case of disappointment in one particular Phil - Shane Victorino. Apparently, Mr. Dicktorino (as I now refer to him) was down right dismissive to the children, and seemed too good to take some time, sign a few autographs and snap a few pictures. Now, this could be an isolated incident, maybe he was having a bad day, maybe there was a medical emergency that required him to bypass the children and get to the clubhouse, maybe he signed more than everyone else and was spent for the day. Hell, my cousin, unlike his son, is a Yankees fan and I wouldn't put it past him to make a snide comment. I'm willing to let him slide, and think he was just busy and/or in a hurry. Sure, Howard, Chutley, Camels and even Harry the K were friendly enough as evidenced by some great photo ops, so why wouldn't the Hawaiian be? But that leads me to...

Incident #2 - Ren receives Sports Illustrated, compliments of his lovely wife, me. I flip through it from time to time, especially for the regular columns in the front of the mag. I guess each issue they do a "Pop Culture" grid where they take a handful of players from various sports/teams, and ask them the same random 5 questions. Shane Victorino was among those questioned.

Question #1 - "I'm Superbad when I...." most answers here were of the "when I'm golfing" nature. Victorino's answer "Get around women."

Question #2 - "What is in your pocket?" All of the answers, except his were some combination of wallet, keys and cell phone. His answer "Wallet, cell phone, Trojans" and I am assuming here that he cannot fit the USC football team in his pocket. ." Wow.... professional baseball players get lots of girls????????? Go figure.


Victorino just before his audition for The Pick-up Artist

Question #4 - "Boxers or Briefs"..... to me there are two answers here (well three, since a few went the boxer-brief route). But his answer , "None I go commando." Being that you sweat in a uniform for at least 3 hours a day, I find this just disgusting.

Question #5 - "Person I am dying to have dinner with?" Should be an insightful answer that illustrates the type of person you are. Once again, Victorino has a doosey - "Jessica Biel."

What is he gong for here? Is he trying to come off as an a-hole? I mean seriously. Maybe I feel this way because I am a woman, but I feel like if this is the kind of guy you are, then you deserve the trashy groupies who hang around professional athletes looking for a piece. I'd hope that Sports Illustrated draws a slightly more sophisticated readership of men than that of Maxim or Stuff, which would be a more appropriate venue for such answers.

First you're too good to take a picture with a 9-year old fan, then you think you're cool cause you let your disease infested junk hang out there, while fishing for your Trojans and waiting for Jessica Biel to dump JT and return your calls? You're not even among the top 5 best-looking Phillies!

Grow up, Shane, grow up. And put on some dang underwear.

-posted by Ariel

R-O-L-A-I-D-S

Sign him up. So what if Nettles rocks him in the ninth, a 57-year-old "crooner" can't be worse than the Phillies pen as of late.

Who Needs a Rally Monkey?

When you got Wheels?

R-O-L-A-I-D-S

From Saturday night's Sillies loss...

After the game, Myers got into a shouting match with a reporter and had to be restrained by teammate Pat Burrell.

When Myers was asked about the two home runs, he said they were really "just pop ups."

A reporter from the Philadelphia Inquirer questioned whether Myers really thought they were pop ups, and Myers got angry.

"You're not even a beat reporter, you're a fill-in, you don't know anything about baseball," said Myers, who then called the reporter "retarded."

The Inquirer reporter asked if Myers could spell retarded, and Myers stood up. Burrell then restrained Myers, and Myers refused to speak any further

Myers has been a closer for not even half a season, what does he really know about being a closer? Considering his performance thus far, not much.

Know who I feel sorry for in all this? Mrs. Myers. Bet it was another banner night in the ole' Myers house.

Take a listen you retard (AUDIO)

Taking a Page from Brett Myers

Michael Jack is beating the hell out of his wife.

(Photo from MLB.com)

Thanks to Philadelphia Will Do.

Tad-A!

(AP Photo/Jerry Lai)

Shortly after my head exploded and I ranted over the dilemma of finding time for Dobbs, Abe & Helms, the Phils traded for Tad Iguchi. So phar, so good.

4/10
4 R
2 BB
1 2B
1 HR
1 SB

Just as things get going good, down go two speedster in the OF. Looks like Dobbsy will get some PT after all. Bourn and the Flyin' Hawaiian will be missed, hopefully for not too long.

Chalootz

From Newsday.com, July 16, 2007: "I don't know too much about 10,000 losses," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "I try and concentrate on the wins."

Cholly admitting he doesn't know too much about something pertaining to his team. Go figure.

-posted by Ren McCormack

Stop Plate Tectonics

This bold statement was a proudly worn T-Shirt boastfully displayed weekly on “Beer Pong Night” at the dingy basement on Redoaks Avenue by alcohol and lady enthusiast, “The Mush.”

When someone would inquire, “Mush, how do you stop plate tectonics?” he would proudly cackle “YOU CAN’T…JUST LIKE YOU CAN’T STOP ME IN BEER PONG!”

(Of course, no one actually knew what the hell plate tectonics were).

What does this have to do with anything?

This morning, the emails, phone calls and back slaps poured in. “Way to go, Ren.” “Congrats on 10,000.”

What can I say? It was inevitable. Like plate tectonics, nothing short of Armageddon could have prevented it.

Like all other negative Philly sports stigmatisms, the best thing to do as a Phan is to simply embrace it. Take it from Rob in Swingers, “It's like manifest destiny, don't tell me we didn't make it, we made it. We are here, and everything that has passed is prologue to this. All of the sh*t that didn't kill us is only... you know, all that sh*t. You're gonna get over it.”

-posted by Ren McCormack