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#1
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Phillies Fans And Interested Competitors
If you're a Phillies fan, you may have interest in my in-depth look at the team in the days leading up to the season, and close-up of spring training moves.
If you're a Yankees, Red Sox or Cardinals fan, you may want to see inside a competitor for all the marbles. Here's a sample of part 1 of 5: This is a purview into each individual player and part of The Phillies from the season in the rearview mirror and the season dead ahead. This article will review the moving parts from The National League Championship Of 2009 and the expectations for 2010. This is the first part of the 5-section equation, and it will start at the top of the lineup with J-Roll to the 8 hole of Chooch. This will be done in the days leading up to and after the reporting of pitchers and catchers for spring training on February 18 in 5 parts: starting regulars, bench players, management, starting pitchers and ?pen denizens. The management portion will go into more detail on wins and losses for the 93-69 season, the 9-6 postseason, the 102-75 total, and the projected-by-me 95-67 season ahead. I would appreciate any and all comments, because they are a big help in figuring out what the team is unofficially doing with regard to personnel decisions. 1 hole: SS Jimmy ?J-Roll? Rollins will again be batting leadoff, and again there will be questions about his on-base percentage. That?s even more interesting when you factor in... Tal?s Tales: The Yesterday Of 2009, The Tomorrow Of 2010 I'm at isportsweb under baseball, MLB, NL East & Phillies. I won't offer a link for a reason a lot of you can understand. I don't care what people think about me personally, but I do care if that thinking affects me wrongly. Thnx, for understanding. |
#2
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Installment 2 of 5
THE BENCH AND THE BUBBLE
Pitchers and catchers have reported to sunny Florida to get into baseball shape, work on their game, and hurlers develop and improve new pitches in their arsenal that will have an impact. The pop of fastballs hitting catchers’ mitts, the bite of sliders in the dirt creating a splash of dust into the crisp spring air, and the banter of teammates in the prodding creativeness with jobs at stake for contenders and long-shots alike. Cole Hamels will hurl a third pitch to rebound for a big season, and Kyle Kendrick will endeavor to take his success at Triple-A Lehigh Valley to the 5-slot in the starting rotation of the parent club. The starting lineup is another issue on the table for Manager Cholley Manuel, and my original thinking was Shane Victorino batting 6th with Raul “I-Bomb” Ibanez in the 7 hole. That said, there is a strong argument for the other way around, as well. One of the many big questions of this camp is a third-straight trip to The Fall Classic, which would elevate Cholley to the best manager in the history of the franchise. Spring Fling: The first days of camp are in the past, the second days of everybody in uniform are over, and photo day was staged. Today, it’s not just yearbook pictures, scoreboard likenesses, bubble-gum-card mug shots; but also the game-industry-likeness gadgets. One of those players was I-Bomb. Cholley has pulled a Yogi @ isportsweb.com |
#3
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fun fun fun
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#4
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Management, Money & Maneuvering
PHOTO To the left Rynosaur left his mark in the pressbox at Bright House Field with the now-framed foul-ball-dented drywall from spring training of last year. He signed, ?Watch Out, Bro!?
This is my first spring training camp as a writer, and it is different from just being a fan. I can feel the excitement over every little detail, which has to be minuscule compared to what the players experience. I feel the shaking off of the rust from the off season, and finally in my third article, I feel myself rounding into shape mentally. During the season it becomes a daily grind, and the days off are more than welcome. I know hope springs eternal, but this group of 25 with average-for-them years, a few career years, and relatively good health is parade-route bound. Spring Fling: Remember sliding into home plate, getting knocked off the dish by the pitcher? |
#5
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Six Cylinders In The Pitcher?s Box
To the left the photo shows the most recent usage of many spring-green uniforms by the local nine, and this one is the congratulations to J-Dub Werth on his 3-run barreled-up bomb for a leftfield souvenir. That said, it was many emerald moons ago that Tug McGraw dyed his uniform green for his favorite celebration: St. Patrick?s Day, but the Irishman never got to don his holiday best. The tugger?the most well-known leprechaun in the recent history of The Phillies?is always mentioned on March 17.
One of the best memories of this spring is the number of players who came into camp with the desire to not disappoint his team, teammates, fans or himself. It shows in Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, Ryan Howard, Kyle Kendrick; and when you put that with Chase Utley and Doc Halladay, it presents a picture of a determined bunch of players with a common goal: unfinished business. Ryno recycled @ Tal?s Tales: Six Cylinders In The Pitcher?s Box |
#6
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The 'Pen Denizens
To the left the worthless beard becomes the beardless Werth. J-Dub Werth has sheared off the facial individuality he arrived in camp with, and it was the best curveball in camp this year. It?s also what passes for news as March becomes April. As decision day arrives without surprises so far, the answers are indicated by GM Rube Amaro?s moves, performances, contracts and readiness for opening day. With five bench spots under contract, there are no spots for INF Cody Ransom, OF Dewayne Wise, INF Wilson Valdez and C Paul Hoover. However, an injury would change things like when Polly Polanco went down, but he has returned to action without incident. The only question mark is Cody Ransom, who has more power than Juan Castro, but Juan is signed to an MLB contract. Of course, Cody does strikeout a lot, but the fielding would not suffer with Ransom. He probably will start the season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, but there is an outside chance that he travels north with or without 11 pitchers.
The Phillies are concerned that Brad Lidge and J.C. Romero will not report for @ Tal's Tales: The 'Pen Denizens |
#7
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The Ticket North
The next game-day pitch thrown in a contest with The Phillies will count, will J-Roll swing at it or track it? The team heads to the nation?s capital, where President Obama will throw out the first pitch. Doc Halladay will open the season for The Phillies, and he is the first big-name hurler to start game one since Steve Carlton.
Brett Myers opened the last three straight years, and John Lieber started the ?06 competition before that. The early news is that Joe Blanton will return @ Tal?s Tales: The Ticket North |
#8
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New Stars Go Super Nova On Opening Day
Tal?s Handy Caps:
for Nitecap, Tip O' The Cap (opinion), & Precap Grand slam homerun! Swish! Wow! Strike three! Unbelievable! Like last year with Raul ?I-Bomb? Ibanez, Polly Polanco and Doc Halladay opened 2010 with an explosion of success. Polly is already paying dividends with game 1 under his belt, and he produced a grand slam into The Phillies ?pen, a sacrifice-fly RBI, and an RBI single for a total of 6 RBI on 3-for-5 hitting. Doc hurled 88 pitches in 7 innings, which is 113 for a complete-game outing. He mowed down 9 batsmen on strikes, spaced out 6 hits, and walked 1, allowing only 1 first-inning run (earned) before physically loosing-up in the 2<sup> nd</sup> inning. He produced two lip-read reported comments from Adam Dunn after two of his at-bats: wow and unbelievable. Ryan ?Rynosaur? Howard didn?t wait too long before launching his first upper-deck missile on his first pitch of his second at-bat, which was before he made his first out?he reached on a first-inning error. Jimmy ?J-Roll? Rollins was 2 for 4 with two walks, and after Rynosaur crushed the ice, the romp was on in this 11-to-1 game. The new-look lineup was strong with Polly in the 2 hole, and Shane Victorino in the 7 hole. Then, there was the running of J-Roll in his surprise scoring effort, stolen base, and Vic?s moving-up to 2<sup> nd</sup> base on a deep fly out to right-center field. Samples Of... Game 1 Nitecap: Phillies fans were very vocal for Manager Cholley Manuel who got louder introduction cheers than any of The Nationals? players, because a lot of local fans traveled down the interstate for opening day... There were first-inning fireworks from both teams with The Nats on the better end of it. J-Roll did not swing at the first-pitch ball, but he did start the excitement with a solid single to left field. After Polly skied... Tip O? The Cap, aka In My Opinion Staying with the starters longer is going to be a pivotal question for Cholley, and it will depend on each individual starter. Doc will probably go a little longer, while Cole Hamels will probably be a game-to- Precap: Game 2: LHP Cole Hamels vs. RHP Jason Marquis on Wednesday Night The Phillies: Cole Hamels endured his first taste of adversity, and he returned with his get-to-the-majors preparation in the off-season. However, it was his first adversity at any level, which can only make him a better pitcher. However, he resisted... 2010 ERA: NL EAST TEAMS STARTING PITCHING: Braves....w/ 6.0 INN & 5 ER = 07.50 ERA @ 66.7% SP Phillies....w/ 7.0 INN & 1 ER = 01.29 ERA @ 77.8% SP Mets......w/ 6.0 INN & 1 ER = 01.50 ERA @ 66.7% SP Marlins...w/ 5.0 INN & 4 ER = 07.20 ERA @ 62.5% SP Nats......w/ 3.2 INN & 5 ER = 12.28 ERA @ 35.6% SP THE PEN: Braves....w/ 3.0 INN & 0 ER = 00.00 ERA @ 33.3% RP Phillies....w/ 2.0 INN & 0 ER = 00.00 ERA @ 22.2% RP Mets......w/ 3.0 INN & 0 ER = 00.00 ERA @ 33.3% RP Marlins...w/ 3.0 INN & 2 ER = 06.00 ERA @ 37.6% RP Nats......w/ 5.1 INN & 6 ER = 10.13 ERA @ 64.4% RP TOTAL PITCHING: Braves....w/ 9.0 INN & 05 ER = 05.00 ERA Phillies....w/ 9.0 INN & 01 ER = 01.00 ERA Mets......w/ 9.0 INN & 01 ER = 01.00 ERA Marlins...w/ 8.0 INN & 06 ER = 06.75 ERA Nats......w/ 9.0 INN & 11 ER = 11.00 ERA # OF STARTERS W/ STARTS OF 6.1 INNS. OR MORE: Braves....0 w/ 0 out of 1 game @ 000.0% Phillies....1 w/ 1 out of 1 game @ 100.0% Mets......0 w/ 0 out of 1 game @ 000.0% Marlins...0 w/ 0 out of 1 game @ 000.0% Nats......0 w/ 0 out of 1 game @ 000.0% 1. PHL Halladay @ 1 on 04/05 |
#9
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LETS GO METS!!!!!
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