EVIL~! alkeiper

Struan, I don't usually pay attention except when I post a column, but if you PM me I'll be happy to do it.

Heck, let's play another fun game. Hudson and Mulder: 11 IP, 4.09 ERA, 1 HR, 7 BB, 6 K Pitchers A's received in Trade: 10.7 IP, 1.68 ERA, 1 HR, 5 BB, 12 K

The Reds have Marty Brennaman, correct?

Worrell had one bad outing. I think that when you take his career record into account, he is better than that. I don't forsee continued struggles. Not a chance. We start a new thread Monday. One of the rare pleasures of Philly fandom is that Harry Kalas and Scott Graham are very good announcers. I also dig the Athletics' crew of Bill King and Ken Korac, and I do think the Devil Ray announcers are enjoyable. Also be sure to catch Dodger games with Vin Scully, and Brewers' broadcasts with Bob Uecker.

HA! You're an idiot. explain I'll explain. Bonds last season posted the best OBP in history, the fourth best slugging percentage in history, and the best OPS in history. Until he proves he can't do that anymore, he is the best hitter in baseball.

C Elston Howard C Tom Haller 1B Todd Helton 2B Bobby Grich 2B Joe Gordon 2B Bid McPhee SS Cal Ripken SS Bert Campaneris 3B Robin Ventura 3B Sal Bando 3B Harlond Clift OF Lou Brock OF Frank Robinson OF Babe Ruth OF Fred Lynn OF Wally Berger OF Paul Blair OF Jack Clark SP Bucky Walters SP Carl Hubbell SP Mike Mussina SP Bert Blyleven SP Milt Pappas SP Jim Palmer RP Trevor Hoffman RP Ugueth Urbina RP Willie Hernandez RP Steve Bedrosian RP Paul Quantrill

Bonds. Moneyball 2, Yankees 0.

Probably Thursday or Friday of next week. I have a handful of papers due, so my plate is fairly stacked beforehand.

I can see bringing in Fultz to pitch to Walker. But leaving him in to pitch to Pujols was inexcusable. Tie game, bases loaded, eighth inning, and the second best hitter in baseball at the plate. The Phillies chose to use the worst pitcher in their bullpen. Charlie Manuel has been a joke when it comes to in game management.

Still doesn't make it true. Thome draws scads of walks, but had a low batting average. That tells me that pitchers are giving him little to hit. In addition, managers are more likely to use a left hander against Thome, especially since he hits right behind Bobby Abreu, another lefty. Thome is much worse against lefties over his career. This is another complaint about the Phillies. I don't care if Pat Burrell hits .200. You can NOT bat Abreu and Thome back-to-back. Teams are able to use their situational lefties to counter-balance our two best hitters, and then using their right handed pitcher to disable Burrell's strength. Abreu's career slugging percentage drops 170 points against lefties. Thome's career slugging percentage drops 193 points. We are getting slaughtered in late inning matchups. We need Burrell to hit between those two, so at the very least he can feast on the lefties placed against Abreu and Thome.

Glavine throws a fastball, circle change, curveball, slider, and added a cut fastball in 2000. And Rivera has always thrown two pitches. A regular fastball, and a cut fastball. Many, many relievers throw mainly two pitches. Billy Wagner does, as does Francisco Rodriguez. Relievers only go 1-2 innings tops, so they can throw 1-2 pitches. Starters need a wider variety, since they see each batter 3-4 times a night. That's true, and I certainly won't dispute that.

But once Rivera's cutter becomes hittable, and overall it probably hasn't, doesn't that end his run has an effective pitcher? Of course. But that's not because he's a one pitch pitcher. It is because he is aging, and he is only human.

Glavine throws a fastball, circle change, curveball, slider, and added a cut fastball in 2000. And Rivera has always thrown two pitches. A regular fastball, and a cut fastball. Many, many relievers throw mainly two pitches. Billy Wagner does, as does Francisco Rodriguez.

Pinjockey answered this. Thome is a career .278 hitter with runners in scoring position. No clue. At this point, I see no reason to fret about Manuel's health. Probably because Madson's spot came up in the lineup, and the Phils used Utley as a pinch hitter in that at bat.

Once again, the Phillies are an exercise in patience. It is very frustrating watching Lofton when the Phillies have TWO better center fielders in their organization. Jason Michaels, their best hitter on the bench, received no at bats this series. Charlie Manuel almost used him in the 9th, but decided to use Tomas Perez instead when Lieberthal reached base. Why? To execute the dreaded sacrifice bunt.

How so?

Kenny Lofton has been a disaster in center field so far. When you play in a field with odd outfield walls, it takes some time to learn the nuances and carooms. Lofton's learning pains have cost the Phillies a handful of runs.

Curt Schilling makes a rehab start today, and MLB.com is airing it live. http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/new..._milb&fext=.jsp

I am now.

Rodriguez was born in New York City. Two reasons I consider this Yankee team part of the dynasty. One, Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are still around and kicking. Second, and more importantly, the 2002-04 Yankees have won 100+ games three years in a row. They are the only Yankee squad to accomplish this, and only four other teams in MLB history have done it.

Actually, Creoles are also a race.

Coming into the season, our rotation was a liability, while our bullpen was our strong suit. Thome and Abreu were big threats, while Lofton was an aging, declining hitter. So of course Lofton delivers the big homer on Monday, Abreu hits poorly, Brett Myers has a fantastic start, and the bullpen implodes. I'm in some bizarro world.

Well, they did miss the playoffs by one game last year, so who knows? I find Larry Bowa not as offensive as most other BBTN analysts.

Yes he was.

Does it help if I've heard of him. This Phillies bullpen is quite disappointing so far.