Manuel Picks Right Time To Blow Up
March 17th, 2009 by MattThis is hardly the time for fans to start overanalyzing the Phillies up and down spring so far. The World Baseball Classic, as well as a large number of pitchers in camp looking for a home has made for some lopsided box scores in the early part of spring.
I didn’t see a lick of of the Phillies’ 12-0 lambasting at the hands of the Yankees yesterday, but I sure liked Charlie’s expletive-filled response.
Winning, whether it is in a meaningless game in mid-March or an October thriller, means something. Losing big means something, too. You can’t just turn it on. The Phils have had some lackluster springs in recent years, and coming out of the blocks has not been their specialty. With a motivated Mets team looking to get off to a fast start, the Phils cannot afford a pedestrian start to the season.
Kyle Kendrick got hit around pretty good, but by all accounts, he was failed by shoddy defense. Beerleaguer says he’d be better served finding his changeup in AA as opposed to trading him. I say trade him if the opportunity is there. If the Phils could convert Kendrick into needed draft picks for June, go for it. I just don’t see Kendrick finding his way back into this rotation. Even if Myers is gone next year, is Kendrick the replacement? There are better options in the system. Kendrick has won 21 games. I just wonder how long it will take him to win the next 21.
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The news sounds good regarding Cole Hamels’ left elbow. By the way, this was definitely a dose of karma for Phillies fans (including myself) who liked the idea of Johan Santana’s elbow problems a week or so before Hamels’. If Hamels isn’t ready to go, it seems like Myers would get the start, but why not Moyer? It would require some rotation tinkering, but isn’t that what off days are for? As someone who will be at Opening Night, I’d like to see nothing more than Cole climb the hill and give us 7.2 innings of shutout ball. But if it can’t happen, give it to Moyer.
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I know I said I don’t like the World Baseball Classic, but nothing else is on, and I am sitting here watching the USA win a big game, relatively speaking, against Puerto Rico to stay alive. Shane Victorino got the first hit, and Jimmy Rollins scored the winning run. Damn those guys know how to win.



The Phils need your support!!!
More Hardball wants to know which city has the hottest fans in Major League Baseball. Last weekend the playoff began, and now it’s time to determine who wins the pennant for each league. Let the games begin with the Phillies vs. Cubs and BoSox vs. Angels.
Link: http://morehardball.blogspot.com/2009/03/hottest-fans-in-mlb-league-series.html
We’d appreciate the plug if you like it.