Kuzul

Like many of you, I’m sure, I am still high as a kite from the Phils’ Opening Day victory over the Astros. 

Also like many of you, I’ve been a huge proponent of this team learning to hit in succession (what many refer to as “small ball”) rather than to wait for the Big Three to hit home runs. 

Last year, the team received enormous boosts from a few players who were not stars, or for that matter, even regulars.

Wilson Valdez comes to mind, but there were others, including Schneider, Sweeney, Gload and Castro. 

This year, so much has been made about Chase Utley missing…well, we don’t yet know how much of the season he’ll miss, or if he will even play at all.

Chase Utley is my favorite player since Mike Schmidt. In my opinion, he’s the best and most complete player on the team.  He embodies the ideal way that the game should be played.

Having opined thusly, I will say that Chase is still one player.  Can he be replaced by Wilson Valdez?  Let’s not get crazy.

However, Wilson Valdez is a decent player that seems to come up big in the pinch. So did quite a few of the Phillies’ “little guys” in today’s win. 

I suppose that the only way to have achieved a more perfect scenario would have been for Roy Halladay to get the win.  I’m not worried about that, though, as he will have more than his share by season’s end. 

What these guys did in the ninth inning was a true team effort. As a lineup, as individual hitters, they had confidence in one another.  Nobody tried to do too much. With only one exception, each player picked up the preceding player.

The point of this small article is that the team seemed to actually do better last year when they had these seemingly insurmountable injuries. 

Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you all that a lineup full of Valdezes would be superior to a lineup with Utley, Rollins and Howard. 

What I will say is that, as these star players get older, they need more and more of a breather to stay in top form.  These bench players (some of whom are thrust into starting roles) are capable Major Leaguers. 

It may behoove Charlie Manuel to trust his “reserves” more and get them some serious at-bats.  It was a strategy that Jim Fregosi employed with the ’93 club, and with outstanding results.

I’m not saying to platoon players.  What I am saying is that guys who are not wiping dust from their uniforms due to idle status won’t be prepared when they do need to come in to help the ballclub.

I certainly want to see Chase Utley return as soon as possible. And though Brad Lidge is about as consistent as half of an umbrella, I’d like him back—if for no other reason than to help cure our seventh inning dilemma.

This baseball team can do great things. 

It is a team that wants to win, and a team that will do well to remember the utilization of the little guys!

As always, I seek your input, even if you think I’m off my rocker.  Thanks for reading!

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I believe in the “Baseball Gods.”  No kidding, I really do.

There is just too much baseball karmic history to deny the existence of the baseball higher power, so to speak. 

Having said that, I do not believe that the Philadelphia Phillies or their fans have done anything so terribly wrong so as to anger said Gods. 

What did we do?  Seriously.  We signed a top of the line starting pitcher in the offseason, who wanted to come to Philly.

This is a close-knit, tight team, with a generally strong baseball attitude and confidence, but not arrogance.

I’m getting just a little bit sick of hearing about the Phillies Spring Training curse.

Yes, Chase Utley is out for, well, what we’ll call indefinitely with his knee ailment.  Sure, Lidge will start the season on the DL.  Sure, Oswalt got hit by a line drive, Dominic Brown broke a slump while breaking his hand and yes, we’ve had some other minor problems with Polanco and Victorino.

Remember, folks, this is Spring Training!  It is, admittedly, important to start the season successfully, as many a mid 2000’s Phillies teams will attest.

However, it is paramount to finish the season strongly, and when I say paramount, I mean that it is much more important than the beginning of the season, let alone Spring Training tribulations.

We still have the best starting rotation in baseball.  We still have a strong lineup that, in this writer’s opinion, will benefit from huge comeback years from Howard, Rollins, Victorino and Ibanez.  We still have a strong bullpen, even without Lidge.

Phillies fans, listen up!  We do not have a hex out on us.  We are not remotely cursed.  These are things that happen in baseball. 

If we do get to a point in the postseason in which a play that makes a difference is so outlandish that we cannot possibly explain it any other way, then we’ll call it Baseball God interference. 

This Spring Training is what we’d call growing pains, nothing else.  Any of you that thought we’d even get though the preseason with no injuries do not know how baseball works.  Injuries are part of the game, and I’d like to think that many of us would have learned that last year. 

This Phillies team, even without Utley and Lidge, is still the class of the National League East, if not the National League, if not the entire Major Leagues!

Phils Phans, do not jump ship!  This is going to be the most exciting season that they’ve had since, well, ever!  This pitching staff will win many a game 1-0 or 2-1.  Be excited for the season.  A couple of speed bumps are not going to make the difference in this season that we’ve all been anticipating for months! 

We’ve done nothing to anger the baseball gods.  It’s a top-notch organization that does almost everything the right way, and the Phillies will show everyone in the end.  That much I can almost guarantee!

Thanks for reading! 

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I will begin this small piece by saying that I am not a Baltimore Orioles fan; but I’d like to give the perspective of an outsider to what should prove to be a very entertaining 2011 Baltimore Orioles ballclub.

About a month ago, I was discussing Mark Reynolds with a co-worker, who told me that he had moved to Baltimore. Nearly flabbergasted by this, I asked who else they had picked up, only to find that Reynolds was just the tip of this largely newly-acquired offense.

One by one, I heard the names that had arrived to play in Orioles orange and black, including J.J. Hardy, Reynolds, Derek Lee and the always under-appreciated Vladimir Guerrero. As I was mentally combining these new faces with some of the quality players already in Baltimore, I began to think of what their lineup could look like for 2011.

Now, this team’s offensive output does depend on a variety of factors, not the least of which are comeback years from leadoff hitter, Brian Roberts, and All Star outfielder, Nick Markakis. 

With these two quality players back in tow, and a huge potential comeback from power hitter extraordinaire Mark Reynolds, the Orioles could sport the most dangerous lineup in the league, and maybe even lead baseball in runs scored.

Will they make the postseason?  Let’s not get crazy, folks.  They simply do not have enough (quality) pitching to win the number of games necessary to unseat the AL East giants. However, this could be the most fun team in Baltimore in over a decade. 

If this offense performs even remotely close to expectations, they will win more than their share of games by simply scoring more runs than the other team.

I’ve not yet looked at a lineup projection for the Orioles, and I’m certain that a heady manager like Buck Showalter will do his share of tinkering, but here are my thoughts:

A healthy Roberts will lead off, followed by Markakis, Lee, Guerrero, Reynolds, Luke Scott, Adam Jones, Matt Wieters and J.J. Hardy bringing up the 9th slot.

J.J. Hardy, as the past will tell us, is more than capable of socking 20+ home runs, and he’s going to be the ninth hitter!?

Perhaps I’m being optimistic for the Orioles. Baltimore is a wonderful baseball town, and their fans deserve a winner, or at least a team that they’d like to see play. 

Perhaps I’m being optimistic to project 800+ runs for this lineup, but when I look at it from top to bottom, I simply do not see what one would refer to as an “easy out.” There will be a lot of feet crossing home plate for the O’s this season, and if they can discover another starting arm or two, team success could literally be around the corner. 

Lord knows, their fans deserve that!

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As Phillies fans, we have all shared times of pain and futility.

If you are unfortunate enough to remember the ’84 to ’92 years, or more recently, the ’94 to ’00 seasons, then you’ve experienced as much heartache as any Phillies fans in history.

Thank goodness, we’ve been fortunate enough to experience quite a bit of team success on our times as well. 

I began my journey with the Phillies as a six-year-old in 1979, and I’ve been very lucky to see my team come away with five NL Pennants and two World Series Championships.

Is it enough to forget the lean years?  It is, but in true Philadelphia fan self-contradiction, it really isn’t.

I wanted to make a list of players who, in the last 30 years, have frustrated me, disappointed me and just flat out made me want to break my own television set.

I will say before I begin that I am not including statistics herein at all.  I do believe that statistics can be a good measure of a player’s value at times, but I also believe that they can be quite misleading.

Many of the players on this list had some decent numbers, and I’m certain that there will be many vehement disagreements.

I will list reasons for each player, and each player has a special place in the blackest part of my Phillies heart, so without further ado, let’s get into it!

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About a month ago, an enormous percentage of the Philadelphia Phillies faithful were making bold proclamations about World Series appearances and World Series wins.

With the semblance of an amazing starting pitching staff, there was not much reason to think anyone was being completely unrealistic. 

Optimistic?  Perhaps. 

Completely unrealistic?  No.

All of a sudden, the team has one spring training injury, and everyone hits the proverbial panic button.

Yes, it is Chase Utley, and yes, Chase Utley is one of—if not the—best players on the team. 

Let us try to remember, however, that this team has got some other pretty good players, like Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Placido Polanco, Carlos Ruiz, etc. 

The Phillies also still have those four guys at the top of their rotation.

Please do not take this the wrong way: Utley is an amazing player, and a presence in the lineup that is not easily replaced—if replacement is possible at all.

But here’s my question: Why even try?

I’ve been hearing for days that the Phillies should pick up Michael Young, who is, admittedly, a really strong player and a very good right-handed bat.  

I know how Philadelphia fans are, and thus, I let it go—until today.

Earlier today, I heard on a Philadelphia sports-radio show (the epitome of sports-fan “mental midgetry”) that, and I quote, “The Phillies should trade Roy Oswalt for Michael Young.”

Are you serious?  We do not even know the extent of Utley’s knee problems (not yet, anyway). 

It is this panic that forces hands into very bad moves.  Thank goodness Ruben Amaro Jr. is not quite so rash.

What happens if you trade one of your four aces for Young?

You’ve got a stopgap who is still a borderline All-Star, but you’re down one pitcher from what had been your biggest strength.

Now, what happens if Utley returns by mid-May or earlier?  I’m certain the Phillies would have no problem finding at-bats for Michael Young, but again, would the move be—in retrospect—a good idea?

Of course, it could go the other way. 

Oswalt’s sometimes balky back could go awry, and he could miss two-thirds of the season, and Utley could not come back at all.

The point I’m trying to make is that the team will cross that bridge immediately before it burns, and so to all the fans out there coming up with these hasty ideas—please chill out!

I understand that it’s something to talk about. 

I also understand that Utley is not your everyday player, and that his importance to the team should never be underestimated.  I also understand that he deserves every chance in the world to right the ship that is his own body. 

I personally believe that he will. 

I’d love to hear your take on this subject, Phillies fans.  If you think that I’m the one who is off his rocker, please, by all means, tell me.  I can handle it! 

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We are all well aware that virtually no MLB team goes through an entire season without injury, and very few can make it through 162 games without a major one.

With that in mind, my question is: Do the Philadelphia Phillies have enough in reserve to overcome the inevitable injury bug?

Now, I’m not going to predict anywhere near the bad luck of last season. Just about every regular position player suffered at least one physical setback last year, with every major contributor being out for at least a few weeks. 

With a little luck, the Phillies can avoid major injury, and this article will be rendered completely useless. 

However, with All-Star second baseman Chase Utley already in pain at the beginning of spring training, the prospect of their bench bears some consideration and the question remains, is it enough?

Wilson Valdez had a very surprising year for the ’10 Phillies and truly was one of the unsung heroes on the club. He filled in for Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Placido Polanco at one time or another during the season, playing admirable defense supplemented with some timely hitting.  

He’s back this year to resume his utility infielder role, but can anyone expect him to perform as well?

Should anyone have to?

Aside from Valdez, there really is no other solid option heading into the season, unless somebody else establishes himself in spring training.

As for the outfield, with Dominic Brown’s recent injury, it looks as though Ben Francisco will be the everyday right fielder, with John Mayberry Jr. and Ross Gload (who, admittedly, can also play first base) as the fourth and fifth outfielders. 

Gload is what he is. He’ll never be a regular and will never even be mistaken for one, but he is a decent stop-gap with a bit of punch from the left side.

As for Mayberry, I believe that he has what it takes to be a decent fourth or fifth outfielder, but he has yet to prove this in MLB competition. 

When it comes to the “backstop backup,” the Phillies are very solid with veteran Brian Schneider, who still could probably start for eight to 10 teams out there. He is actually more than solid, and though he’ll never be mistaken for Johnny Bench at the dish, can still produce some important knocks when he is needed.

To sum it all up, it would seem that heading into the regular season, the Phillies’ bench is strong behind the plate, solid in the infield (albeit with only one reliable player) and, at best, questionable in the outfield. 

Is anyone starting to worry yet? Honestly, it is probably no cause for concern, as long as the regulars stay relatively healthy. 

A few injuries for a team throughout a regular season is commonplace, but with every starter except one (Francisco, 29) at 30 years of age or older—and with Charlie Manuel’s tendency to run his starters into the ground—the depth of performers on the bench could become a concern.

Think of it this way. Let’s say Utley begins the year on the DL, and Valdez, barring a last-minute pickup, begins the year as the starter. Who is the reserve infielder now? 

This team has an excellent chance to dominate this season. The starting pitching, if healthy, has a chance to go down as one of the best in history. The bullpen, with a healthy and confident Brad Lidge, should be strong and the team is poised for comeback years from its three biggest stars.

It is the sincere hope of all Phillies fans that this article will be rendered moot with healthy years from the regulars. 

Here’s hoping the bench will be needed only minimally. 

Please share your thoughts. I’d love to hear them!

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Every team enters every season with questions. 

The bottom line question for the 2011 Philadelphia Phillies is this: Can they live up to this unprecedented hype and bring home the franchise’s third World Series?

I’m not going to go quite that far, but I’d like to give some evidence that, to me, suggests that there is absolutely no way that this Phillies team does not walk away with their fifth consecutive NL East Crown.

The Phillies won the East in 2007 with Jimmy Rollins providing an MVP season and one of the greatest offensive/defensive seasons that a shortstop has ever produced. 

They also won the East in 2010, when a largely ineffective Rollins played in only 88 games.

The Phillies won the East in 2007 with Brett Myers as their closer.  They won in 2008 when Brad Lidge had one of the five greatest seasons that any closer has ever had. 

They won the division in 2009 when Brad Lidge had one of, if not the worst season of any closer in history.

The Phillies won the NL East with Aaron Rownd patrolling center field in 2007.  That season, Shane Victorino played predominantly in right field, while Jayson Werth barely played at all. 

They also won in 2008 with Victorino in center and a Werth/Jenkins platoon in right. 

They won the division in 2008, with Brett Myers (who, incidentally, had to go down to the Iron Pigs that year to “right” himself) as their No. 2 starter.  They won with Jamie Moyer as their No. 3 starter. 

They won their division in 2007 and 2008 with Cole Hamels as their No. 1 starter and a good one, at that. 

They also won their division in 2009 with Hamels having, by his standards, an absolutely dreadful year. 

Are we beginning to see what I’m talking about here?  No?

The Phils have won two division titles with Pat Burrell in left field.  They’ve won two with Raul Ibanez in left field.  They even won with the less-than-mediocre three-headed monster of Abraham Nunez, Gregg Dobbs and Wes Helms at third base!

They’ve won the division winning but 89 games.  They’ve won it with a Major League high 97.  They’ve won it scoring 892 runs as a team.  They’ve won it scoring just 772 runs.  They’ve won with a team ERA of 3.68, and they’ve won with a team ERA of 4.73. 

Here is the main point. 

The last four Phillies teams have won the National League Eastern Division, and all have been significantly different from the team that preceded it.  They’ve won with hitting, and they’ve won with pitching. 

The only constants seem to be Charlie Manuel, an admittedly very strong manager of personalities, but a manager that will never be mistaken for a tremendous strategist. 

Another constant has been exceptional team defense that has always had top notch strength up the middle, with Ruiz, Rollins, Utley and Victorino (and Rowand for one of those years). 

Yet one more constant would be the “big three” of Rollins, Utley and Howard. 

However, all three of these guys had down years last year.  This is a valid concern for Phillies fans, as they are all now into their 30’s and could be on the decline. 

Even if this may be somewhat true, and I chose to think that last year was a speed bump rather than downward slope with a sharp decline, with all three having down years, the team still won the division last year and sported baseball’s best regular season record.

Do they have any competition for the division? 

Well, the New York Mets could have a nice offensive season if the bats of Beltran and Bay come back to join forces with Reyes, Wright and breakout Davis.  They just do not have the pitching to contend. 

The Marlins have some talent, particularly on the mound, but just do not have any kind of team chemistry.  What do you expect when your superstar only cares about himself? 

The Nats?  Maybe in five years.  Maybe not even then.

This leaves the Atlanta Braves.  They have a decent team but certainly not an offensively overpowering one. 

Jason Heyward could be headed to stardom, but will not quite make it to that point this year.  Chipper Jones could be ready for the season, but he will never be close to what he was.  Dan Uggla was a nice pickup, but the rest of the team is filled out with solid, but nowhere near spectacular, veterans. 

Now, their top three starting pitchers are a different story.  Tim Hudson might be the most underrated ace in baseball and can keep the Braves in any game against any other ace in the game. 

Tommy Hanson has a lot of talent but does show some inconsistency.  Derek Lowe might be one of the best number three pitchers in baseball, and if Jurgens can get back to 2009 form, this could be a formidable staff.

The bullpen looks as though it could be decent, but is largely unproven, and the loss of Billy Wagner will hurt. 

This Braves team is solid and could win up to 90 games in 2011.  Does that make them a threat to the Philadelphia Phillies?  Not by a long shot!

Here’s my point.  No matter what has happened over the past four seasons, the Phillies have managed to come away with the East crown every year. 

Will a year come along eventually in which they are unseated?  Absolutely. 

Will it happen any time soon?  Absolutely not! 

This team wins.  That’s what they do.  They will win no matter what adversity presents itself over the course of the next seven months.  They will win with injuries, and they will win with off years from some of their best.

I agree that once a team enters the postseason that all bets are off.  It tends to be the hot team that gets to, and subsequently wins, the World Series.  One thing is for certain.  The Phillies will take home the NL East crown.

There may be those that say that this article is beyond arrogant, that it has been written by an obvious Phillies fan who cannot see any possibility of the Phillies finishing anywhere but first. 

Anything can happen in baseball, right? 

Yes, anything can happen in baseball.  Yes, all of our starting pitchers could have their arms fall off in Spring Training.  Barring a plane crash that takes out the entire starting lineup and two or three of the pitchers, I think the team is safe for their fifth NL East Championship!

Now, everyone go knock on wood!

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If you’ve not yet heard the speculation about the Ryan Howard for Albert Pujols trade, then you probably do not follow the Phillies or the Cardinals. 

Whether or not there is any validity to this rumor is anyone’s guess, and most Phillies fans out there love the idea, but should they? 

Yes, Pujols is the premiere hitter in baseball. 

Yes, he is a right-handed bat; the right-handed bat the Phils, and pretty much every other team in baseball, so highly covets. 

Pujols deserves every accolade he receives, but is this trade a good idea for the Phillies?  Let’s look at a few reasons as to why it might not be.

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