TWiB 7/31 - 8/6

[Guest]

The Astros got their 10th shutout of the season, winning 1-0 in San Diego. Hell of a game by both Pettitte and Jake Peavy. Lidge made things tense in the 9th, but struck out the side. The Astros have to go 37-18 to get 88 wins, which should win the wildcard, so they're in closer distance than in 2004 when they had to go 36-10 down the stretch. It can be done. I still wonder why they don't pitch Dave Borkowski more. All he's done over the past month or so is play "bullpen guard" at Wrigley and Petco.

I just want the Stros to sweep the Padres this series. LA could be two back of the Padres and Reds by Friday morning.

[vivalaultra 0]

I just want the Stros to sweep the Padres this series. LA could be two back of the Padres and Reds by Friday morning.

 

If the Astros sweep the Padres, the Dodgers better sweep the Reds. None of that "rolling over unmercilessly" crap like they pulled against the Cardinals a few series ago.

[Guest]

No, we own the Reds. I've been waiting for this series for a while. This team has never been able to beat the Cards.

[Guest Montresor]

The home plate umpire squeezing Burnett got the rally started.

 

QUIT YOUR FUCKING BITCHING!!! Burnett made a ton of fucking mistakes in that inning.

 

Calm down.

 

Abreu walked on like a 3-5 count. And, come to think of it, what was called ball four was almost certainly strike six.

[Failed Bridge 0]

let the Javy Lopez to the Red Sox rumors begin~!

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

A bit late, but break out the balloons because Sloppy Abreu has been traded

 

I'm digging this Phillies team now, and I'm glad they got rid if who they did. While the Phillies owners could care less about the futures (they purposely told Gillick to cut the payroll big-time to boost their gross for the season), I'm glad that a couple of players are gone that I either dislike (Lidle) or outright hate (Abreu).

 

Sad to see Cormier go, but he's been iffy in some clutch spots this year. TRADING HIM TO THE REDS? Ugh. Stupid and shows that Gillick is not trying to win the WC this year.

 

Anyway, I hope Utley keeps it up, Howard's been on a roll, J-Roll is waking up and Myers has been looking sharp. GO PHILS!

 

The garbage on the team (Charlie Manuel, Mike Lieberthal, Arthur Rhodes, hell the entire bullpen), IMO, is outweighed now by the good. It's a shame that the players are trying to win but the GM doesn't seem to care, and is now beginning some "3 year plan" to try to get them near the playoffs, when they were a game out this year. With the NL being the weakest it's been in over a decade, however, I think stranger things can happen. I hope they make it.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

A bit late, but break out the balloons because Sloppy Abreu has been traded

 

I'm digging this Phillies team now, and I'm glad they got rid if who they did. While the Phillies owners could care less about the futures (they purposely told Gillick to cut the payroll big-time to boost their gross for the season), I'm glad that a couple of players are gone that I either dislike (Lidle) or outright hate (Abreu).

 

Sad to see Cormier go, but he's been iffy in some clutch spots this year. TRADING HIM TO THE REDS? Ugh. Stupid and shows that Gillick is not trying to win the WC this year.

 

Anyway, I hope Utley keeps it up, Howard's been on a roll, J-Roll is waking up and Myers has been looking sharp. GO PHILS!

 

The garbage on the team (Charlie Manuel, Mike Lieberthal, Arthur Rhodes, hell the entire bullpen), IMO, is outweighed now by the good. It's a shame that the players are trying to win but the GM doesn't seem to care, and is now beginning some "3 year plan" to try to get them near the playoffs, when they were a game out this year. With the NL being the weakest it's been in over a decade, however, I think stranger things can happen. I hope they make it.

Just to play devil's advocate here, doesn't it bother you that the organization cares more about cutting payroll than winning games?

 

EDIT: Keep in mind we don't get to face Jeff Weaver every night.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

With the army of leeches running the organization, a mini-fire sale was gonna take place.

 

I'm personally happy, that, since it had to happen, that it was the likes of Lidle, Bell, and Abreu, who's best years are behind them (again, IMO), then the young core future who got shipped away. Not that there was any real worry for them.

_______

 

Yes, it pisses me off greatly that a large market like Philadelphia has such terrible owners and a "yes man" GM that's just as shitty as Wade. But I still root for the team because I BELIEVE, haha.

 

Could be 3.5 out in a few hrs.

 

Honestly, it doesn't matter. I've been to so many Phils game this year that I'm embarassed. The fans suck and make no noise, the pitching is dreadful, and they can never sustain the smallest bit of momentum. But as long as I can watch the TV and no longer need to say "Ugh, David Bell is up..." or "Damn, I hate Abreu", etc., I feel happier watching the team.

 

My point is that I like the team even more now and hope they can pull off a miracle. But I won't be attending games in that horridly quiet and empty stadium until they get their act in gear and get over .500 at least.

[jwest27 0]

Hey, you know who's not very good? Jeff Weaver.

 

Yeah, pretty obvious. I really felt like saying it, however.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Aaron Rowand just gave the Cards 2 runs by playing his post-broken face terrible defense.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Harry's all "Jeff had a nice year last year, 14-11" and you can tell he's all "This guy...yuck."

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Aaron Rowand just gave the Cards 2 runs by playing his post-broken face terrible defense.

Wait....what?!

[therealworldschampion 0]

A bit late, but break out the balloons because Sloppy Abreu has been traded

 

I'm digging this Phillies team now, and I'm glad they got rid if who they did. While the Phillies owners could care less about the futures (they purposely told Gillick to cut the payroll big-time to boost their gross for the season), I'm glad that a couple of players are gone that I either dislike (Lidle) or outright hate (Abreu).

 

Sad to see Cormier go, but he's been iffy in some clutch spots this year. TRADING HIM TO THE REDS? Ugh. Stupid and shows that Gillick is not trying to win the WC this year.

 

Anyway, I hope Utley keeps it up, Howard's been on a roll, J-Roll is waking up and Myers has been looking sharp. GO PHILS!

 

The garbage on the team (Charlie Manuel, Mike Lieberthal, Arthur Rhodes, hell the entire bullpen), IMO, is outweighed now by the good. It's a shame that the players are trying to win but the GM doesn't seem to care, and is now beginning some "3 year plan" to try to get them near the playoffs, when they were a game out this year. With the NL being the weakest it's been in over a decade, however, I think stranger things can happen. I hope they make it.

Just to play devil's advocate here, doesn't it bother you that the organization cares more about cutting payroll than winning games?

 

EDIT: Keep in mind we don't get to face Jeff Weaver every night.

 

This bothers me the most. I hated Bill Giles' "we're a small-market team" statement, because when you play in the 5th largest market in the country, you're not small-market. I'm expecting probably around a $70-$75 million payroll next year. Forget the money saved from the Abreu trade actually being used for anything with the exception of getting new deals in place for players like Utley and Howard, it's likely going into the ownerships' pockets.

 

I believe that the ownership (Claire Betz, the Buck brothers, John Middleton, Bill Giles, and Dave Montgomery) are all quite old, so hopefully their heirs are more inclined to be more active in the organization or want to sell. I don't expect these owners to do anything since from what I've read of them, they're basically old-money Main Liners who basically see the Phillies as a money-maker or a showthing.

[jwest27 0]

Yeah, how did Rowand give the Cards 2 runs? I'm not watching the game and it just says here on the gameday screen that "Chris Duncan homers to center field. Jim Edmonds scores. " What, did it bounce off of Rowand's head Canseco style or something?

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Rowand, before the facial injury, was batting over .300 and making spectacular defensive plays with his all-out-hustle style.

 

Ever since the injury, his average has taken a beating, and he seems off several steps in the outfield. I have seen a video package on Baseball Tonight about him making fielding mistakes post-injury, various WIP callers have brought it up, I have personally seen Rowand make 2 strange fielding blunders live (including July 4th Vs. San Diego), as well.

 

He hustles, but just seems timid and off several steps post-injury.

 

The Home Run that was just hit. Rowand awkwardly backtracked to the track and fence to watch it. He leaped up on the wrong side, and the ball just BARELY got over the wall. Had he timed his run and leap, it was an easy "steal one" catch.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

"getting new deals in place for players like Utley and Howard"

 

Unless the ridiculous think-monkeys in the front office decide to try to trade Howard again.

[tominator89 0]

In defense of Rowand, robbing someone of a HR is not that easy.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Wow. Just focus discussion on Jeff Weaver.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Yeah, I'm not trying to blast Rowand for not stealing a HR...but if this was the same Rowand from before he got hurt, he'd have made that play. He reached to the wrong side and never got set and it bounced off the top of the short wall.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Yeah, I'm not trying to blast Rowand for not stealing a HR...but if this was the same Rowand from before he got hurt, he'd have made that play. He reached to the wrong side and never got set and it bounced off the top of the short wall.

Well thank god we kept Rowand and got rid of the player that doesn't run into walls and just stays productive.

[tominator89 0]

Yeah, I'm not trying to blast Rowand for not stealing a HR...but if this was the same Rowand from before he got hurt, he'd have made that play. He reached to the wrong side and never got set and it bounced off the top of the short wall.

Well thank god we kept Rowand and got rid of the player that doesn't run into walls and just stays productive.

 

Your point is taken, but it's clear the ownership of the team is all about cutting costs.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Bobby Abreu has the work ethic and running ability of Kevin Nash, don't even go there. At least Rowand tries. I can't wait for NY to shit on him.

 

Before you argue with me, though, I will say that despite hating on Abreu, I've always seen him as a better player than Rowand. So your point IS valid. But it's all about the green for the Old Timers Owners, Manager Elmer Fudd, and The GM Herald of Ruben Amaro, Jr.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Bobby Abreu has the work ethic and running ability of Kevin Nash, don't even go there. At least Rowand tries. I can't wait for NY to shit on him.

Agreed. I mean, he just looked awful stealing those 20 bases in 24 attempts.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Someone also needs to tell the Baseball Tonight, SportsCenter, and "First and 10" commentators that the "X can't make the playoffs, there's too many teams ahead of them in the Wild Card!" theory doesn't apply when all the teams are basically tied and a club can leap over 6 teams in 2 days like the Phillies are about to do with a win here.

[Brett Favre 0]

So far from what i've seen, Abreu makes a pitcher throw like 10 pitches an at bat, which is not only good for him, but good for the guy behind him, who will face a guy thats just a little more tired than before. If he does this, I don't understand how he's a slacker.

 

And yesterday someone said Burnett got squeezed? Wang got squeezed himself today early in the game, and you didn't see him giving up hits with the bases loaded or kicking water coolers. Just gotta pitch around it I guess.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

He also looked great dogging it in the outfield and turning up the level to "a slight jog" for those ESPN Sunday games, you know, when people can see what most of the people in the city know.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Abreu's on base percentage, ability to tire down a pitcher's arm, and on-again/off-again hitting are remarkable assets to a team.

 

But the guy is not clutch, dogs it in the outfield, and gets a ton of his stats in meaningless games, while striking out and hitting weak-ass grouders in clutch situations.

 

Bobby's been clutch a few times this year, and I gave him credit. But there's a shitload of people that HATE Abreu for what I just said. Al's obviously gonna defend the guy, and he should, he sees him differently. Whatever, though. Bobby's gone, let's let it die. I gave Bobby props when he did well, but now he's gone, so I'd love to never mention him again.

[Brett Favre 0]

If thats supposedly the main problem you have with Abreu, thats sad. Give me something else. Maybe he walks too much? Has a .320 batting average with RISP? Is very efficient at stealing bases? Has a strong arm? What else have you got?

[therealworldschampion 0]

In some fans eyes, it comes from his defense in right field. It seemed to me that he started to lose a step in 2003 when Thome was signed. He looked in great shape in 2002, then he came back from the offseason for 2003 and it looked like he had put on some weight.

 

Here's tidbit from the Philadelphia Daily News today, the Phillies had a deal in place with the Orioles to send Pat Burrell to Baltimore last week, only to have it nixed by Burrell. Had that trade happned, Abreu is still a Phillie. I would've definitely preferred still having Bobby as compared to Burrell.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

I find it cute that someone with 2006 Chokers League of America members Morrison, Nash, and Nowitski in his sig/avatar calls me out for saying I hate Abreu's ability to be clutch. You must have a thing for losers.