When it comes to baseball, does a waistline matter?
My wife's friend keeps trying to get her to read celebrity gossip magazines, and the other day she brought a stack of them to our house. Half the content involves unflattering photos of celebs in public, leading to speculation that "so-and-so" starlet might be pregnant because she's wearing a frumpy sweatshirt on Park Avenue.
Last spring, Ryan Howard arrived at spring training pregnant. That’s what readers thought when they saw Howard’s famous photo spread in the New York Times, pictured right, then watched him heft through his first televised game. They were appalled the reigning MVP had let himself go, and suggested it had something to do with discontent over the Phillies’ paltry contract offering of $900,000. I bet it had to do with food.
And so begins another season of weight watching, as we gaze at footage from Clearwater like so much tabloid gossip hanging on the racks by the checkout line. Is it trivial, or does it foreshadow early season success?
Last season, Howard slumped, nursing a bad back leg and perhaps felt the anxiety of being an MVP. It took him over two months to close up and regain his form. On the flip side, Jimmy Rollins spent the winter working out in a newly constructed home gym, arrived in Florida lean, mean and remained steady. After the season, he was rewarded with new hardware to display in that gym. Like J-Roll, Chase Utley packed on muscle and was an MVP front-runner before John Lannan killed the buzz. Brett Myers was an exception to the rule. The right-hander shredded tons of weight, struggled early, then settled in later after regaining his spare tire. Or maybe we're making something out of nothing.
Let’s do our best impression of my wife’s friend and draw wild conclusions from photos, in this case, the photo galleries on Philly.com! Howard is in much better shape, and there have been several reports confirming that. Check out his new adidas ad; he looks like a different person. The slugger says he’s down 10-15 pounds from where he was at this point last season. Unlike Howard, Kyle Kendrick looks bigger. During the winter tour, Charlie Manuel said the 23-year-old right-hander added seven pounds of muscle to his lean frame, so that’s a good thing. Pat the Bat always looks the same. Carlos Ruiz looked trim in a couple shots. Mike Zagurski actually looks less like a Cabbage Patch doll. Myers looks like he’s down a couple pounds, and I recall reading that as well. Cole Hamels looks a tad thicker, as you would expect from a maturing 24-year-old. Since his arrival, I’ve never been impressed with Adam Eaton’s physique. Unfortunately, I don’t have a good read on the embattled right-hander based on the early footage. He looks the same, maybe? And if I look like Jamie Moyer when I'm 45, I would be delighted.
So in conclusion, this tabloid journalist has determined that none of the players are pregnant.
Roster note: Right-hander Anderson Garcia was claimed off waivers by Seattle. He was designated for assignment last week to make room for Pedro Feliz.
I'd say Cholly is expecting twins.
Listening to some of the phillies.com interviews, I didn't realize Outman hit the mid 90s. And, Kendrick definitely looks bigger...apparently he's added some mph's.
Posted by: Reed | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 12:42 PM
When will the Phils sign Lohse? He's got to be desparate by now.
Posted by: brio | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 12:51 PM
Hey, Met fan here!
What do you think about Beltran's comments yesterday? And also, just so you know, we have the Phillies finished already unless they want wild card, because theres no way the Mets don't win the division with this:
-Santana (best pitcher in baseball)
-Pedro (never had him till sept of 07)
-more experienced oliver perez + john maine
-Oh, and have you heard the term "Don't make the same mistake twice"? The mets have that on their mind and they won't collapse at the end of this year, thats certain.
BRING IT ON JIMMY ROLLINS
Posted by: Matt Tracy | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 01:39 PM
Matt, can I borrow your crystal ball? Maybe you guys can snap your 8 game skid against us first.
Posted by: Reed | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 01:56 PM
Good job Matt!! They kick you out of Metsblog already? JW-- I don't think Ryan looks THAT much different at all in th Adidas ad.. Also, a little hard to tell since pic is kinda fuzzy. Matt.. news flash.. Pedro had surgery and he's OLD He'll need more guile than power to make an impact for your beloved Mutts.. Actually, check 2/3 of the team.. OLD.. susceptible to injury.. Bring it on indeed!
Posted by: Rob | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 02:01 PM
(never had him till sept of 07)
So that's why y'all did so well in Sept...
Oh. That's right. 7/17.
Posted by: Andy | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 02:21 PM
I’ve never been impressed with Adam Eaton’s physique
What about his highlights?
Posted by: Andy | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 02:22 PM
Phillies suck! The Mets will kick all of these nl east losers asses this year. Cole Hamels is a punk and Jamie Moyer is on aarp. lol. Aaron rowand was the heart and soul. now your team has none like the fans. lol LOSERS!
Posted by: Justin | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 02:26 PM
Gosh. That was cogent.
Posted by: Andy | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 02:29 PM
Justin, get off your Mom and Dad's computer and go back to watching cartoons. Come see me in about 7 years and 7 months, then we can talk about the pennant race in 2015. You should be out of diapers by then.
Posted by: JMARR | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 02:33 PM
Maybe by 2015, one of your philly teams will have won a playoff game. glad all of you filthydelphiers take pride in spitting on peoples grandmas and peeing on cars.
Posted by: Justin | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 02:35 PM
It's hard to live up to the standards that the NY fans have set Justin. We just do the best that we can.
Posted by: JMARR | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 02:37 PM
"My wife's friend keeps trying to get her to read celebrity gossip magazines, "
As my mom always said to my sister, "friends who try to get you to read celebrity gossip magazines are not really your friends."
Posted by: kdon(in Brussels) | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 03:05 PM
Oh, the whole Mets team is old? Hm, so Jamie Moyer is real young then?
Is Johan old? No. Is Jose reyes old? No, is David Wright old? No. Is Carlos Beltran old? No. Gosh, finding old players on that mets team isn't that easy is it.
Oh, and the rest of the Phils fans here:
What team in the NL East last won a playoff series? Oh, wait, OR better yet, a PLAYOFF GAME? O man, that would be the NEW YORK METSSSSSS!!!
Posted by: Matt Tracy | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 03:20 PM
Matt: For every Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, Johan Santana, and David Wright theres a Billy Wagner, Moises Alou, Carlos Delgado, and Orlando Hernandez.
And after accomplishing the single worst collapse in baseball history, the one thing I wouldn't be doing is bringing up the last time an NL East team won a playoff game. If that doesn't scream desperation, I'm not sure what does.
Posted by: John D | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 03:34 PM
New York City has won nine major sports championships since the last time the city of Philadelphia won one (way back in 1983). Chew on that, losertown.
Posted by: OrangeandBlueState | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 04:08 PM
Like school on Sunday, no class. I hate this cliche, but this is why they play the games.
Posted by: Mike | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 04:21 PM
Hey you stoopid Mets fans! What are you doing blogging over here? You're supposed to be at my house scrubbing the toilets. It's one of the perks Minaya agreed to.
Posted by: Johann Santana | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 04:36 PM
"Oh, the whole Mets team is old? Hm, so Jamie Moyer is real young then?
Is Johan old? No. Is Jose reyes old? No, is David Wright old? No. Is Carlos Beltran old? No. Gosh, finding old players on that mets team isn't that easy is it."
Average age of position players in 2007:
Phillies-28.8 yrs
Mets-30.8 years
Average age of pitchers in 2007:
Phillies-30.6 years
Mets-31.3 years
Age of pitchers in Phillies rotation in 2008:
24, 27, 23, 45, 30
Age of pitchers in Mets rotation in 2008:
29, 26, 42, 36, 27
I personally concede that the Mets are favorites next year, but after next year they'll have 3 FA starters (Perez, Hernandez, Martinez), they'll have holes in two OF corners, Brian Schneider behind the plate, Luis Castillo at 2B, and a barren farm system. Good luck with that.
Posted by: Adam | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 04:42 PM
Matt, rather desperate attempt to get traffic over at your blog, don't you think? Nice work on that by the way. Paragon of original, insightful commentary.
I just hope your Abuelo Pedro doesn't re-injure that oblique cockfighting. Thanks for the hot tip on that one.
Posted by: mw_217 | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 04:50 PM
Not sure how this hasn't been posted here yet, but I found it terrific. Kendrick got 'traded' to Japan:
http://www.bugsandcranks.com/philadelphia-phillies/brett-myers-is-the-new-ashton-kootcher/
Posted by: loctastic | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 05:54 PM
loctastic - check out the last thread. Lots of discussion about the propriety of the prank.
Posted by: | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 06:02 PM
Late on the last thread, so I'll throw it in here ...
Am in agreement with Kdon re. the Kendrick "prank." I believe it was a really ill-conceived, stupid and thoughtless idea.
Creating that level of anxiety and stress just ain't funny. Try imagining yourself in that situation. Being told, out of the blue, that your job with an organization you're happy with, has ended and you're being shipped to Japan ... if you want to keep working. Got a family? Makes it even less amusing.
There are a lot better ways to foster team unity and spirit.
Posted by: elbinkogrande | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 06:57 PM
The prank was extreme to say the least, but all in good fun. Amaro maybe should be more careful of the position he puts himself in visa vis the players given his position, but it shows a sense of humor nonetheless. I really would hope to see both Myers and Amaro pranked back.
Posted by: lekh tizdayen | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 07:16 PM
They got me. My son came running downstairs yelling "Dad, the Phillies traded Kyle Kendrick for a Japanese pitcher!"
After saying "No way", "That can't be!" about 15 times, I checked Beerleaguer and a couple of other sites and read about the prank.
Seems a little over the top edgy to me, but if it works for the team, loosens them up, and brings them together, great. Whatever works. I am real concerned about the loss of Rowand in the leadership department, so am glad to see the Man or Machine t-shirt and other efforts to bring the team closer together.
Posted by: Bob | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 08:24 PM
Any reports on how Pedro's throwing? I would bet the house he won't be able to pitch anywhere near the level he did before the surgery, when he was pitching with a torn labrum. I'm just amazed people keep throwing him in there as if he's a factor. I seriously doubt he'll break 83 mph.
Posted by: stevo | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 08:43 PM
Wow, it is incredible how un-original and boring Stemheads are who come to this site.
Matt started it off this afternoon.
Here, let me try an imitation of the typical lurking Stemhead who takes his dress off:
"We're going to kick your ass in 2008
blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah we have Santana blah blah blah blah blah
Philly sucks
blah blah blah blah blah Pedro's back
blah blah blah blah blah
we're really not chokers blah blah blah blah blah
2007 doesn't count because it's golf and we Stemheads get a Mulligan blah blah blah blah blah please don't come to Shea and chant "7-17"
blah blah blah blah blah
If you're a Stemhead ...err, Mets fan, and come to this site, at least be original so you don't bore us to death.
Posted by: AWH | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 10:27 PM
BTW, I heard breaking news on MLB radio today:
"Because the Mets are such an overwhelming favorite in the NL, MLB is cancelling the 2008 season and letting the Mets go the World Series without ever having to play a game."
"This decision was prompted by hundreds of thousands of emails and phone calls to the MLB offices in NY by Met fans demanding that the Mets be declared default winners of the NL because they had managed to pull off a trade for Johan 'Saint'ana."
""Since Mets fans are always right", said baseball commissioner Bud -I turned a blind eye to Kirk Radomski in the Mets' clubhouse- Selig, "we might as well just do what they want, because in the face of that, playing the games really doesn't matter. If Mets fans say the Mets are going to win then it must be true, so there's really no need to tire out the Mets players with the grind of a 162 game season."
"Mets fans had also demanded that the Mets be declared winner of the 2008 World Series, and there was much sentiment for it among Mets fans working in MLB offices in New York, but Commissioner Selig refused to cave in to that demand, as there are equal numbers of Yankee fans who work at MLB, who thought the Mets should at least have to play World Series games".
"Developing......"
Posted by: AWH | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 10:44 PM
I love Mets fans. They lose eight in a row to the Phillies and they still talk smack. Mets fans from Jersey are the best too. They live in a 2nd-rate state and they root for the 2nd-best team in New York. The Mets of '08 are the Mets of '07. Plus Santana, Minus Glavine. Nobody on the team grew a set to show me they won't choke this year too. Reyes? Choke. Beltran? Choke. Pedro? Done. Delgado? Done. Schneider? .225 avg. Alou? 63 years old. Should I keep going?
Posted by: Bob | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 11:24 PM
well, they lost Lo Duca, so that makes them better than last year... an addition by subtraction.
And, AWH, did you write that?? If so, you have a talent. If not, direct me to where you ripped it...
Posted by: The Theory | Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 11:47 PM
Theory, I wrote it.
Also, in adding to my comment on lack of originality by Mets fans, it occurs to me that Carlos Beltran suffers from the same.
What a cheap, 2nd rate imitation of J Roll!
Posted by: AWH | Monday, February 18, 2008 at 12:29 AM
Beltran's not one of our... how you say... talkers. He tends to do better with the bat (126 OPS+, to Rollins' 118 OPS+) and the glove (superior fielding pct/range factor compared to league average than J-Roll).
Enjoy your MVPs and your 100-moral-victory season. We prefer awards in NY that you don't need sportswriter votes to determine.
Posted by: LeiterMilnerFasterStronger | Monday, February 18, 2008 at 02:43 AM
Leiter:
If you prefer awards that sportswriters don't vote for, then win one. Then we'll talk.
Posted by: John D | Monday, February 18, 2008 at 02:55 AM
of course a CFer's range factor is and fielding pct are going to be higher than a SS's, they have like 5 times the ground to cover and get less total chances factored into their fielding pct, another typically retarded New Yorker
Posted by: Tony | Monday, February 18, 2008 at 05:46 AM
Did anybody tell these NY fans that no kidding that they have won more over the last 20+ years. They need 3 hockey teams, 2 NBA teams, 2 MLB teams and 2 NFL teams.
Oh thats right, its actually NJ that wins.
Posted by: PhillyRocks | Monday, February 18, 2008 at 06:35 AM
Myers response to Beltran:
""If that's his way of learning from the MVP how to fire up his team, that's fine," Myers quipped, eyes twinkling. "I hope it works for him -- just not against us."
"Sequels are terrible," Myers deadpanned. "You can't predict it twice. That's why Jimmy went with his sequel, of 100 wins. The plot has changed for us. I guess their favorite movie was us last year, or something. I don't know."
Anyway, link to Jayson Stark article at ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2008/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=3250830
Posted by: Tim in DC | Monday, February 18, 2008 at 07:07 AM
you gotta love Myers other quote too:
"But if they're trying to shake us up, they're not going to, because we're too strong-minded and strong-willed to do what we want to do."
Posted by: Reed | Monday, February 18, 2008 at 08:31 AM
People that think the Kendrick prank "went too far" or was "uncalled for" need to get a sense of humor...of course you probably find reruns of Step by Step and Full House funny.
Posted by: GM-Carson | Monday, February 18, 2008 at 08:51 AM
Listened to the interview with Benson and they talked about past trade rumors with the Phils when he was a Pirate.
Supposedly, the Pirates turned down Ryan Howard straight up for Benson. They got Ty Wigginton from the Mets instead. Gotta love the Pirates
Posted by: Tim | Monday, February 18, 2008 at 08:51 AM
Pirates didn't believe in Howard's power potential at th MLB level, they thought their 1st base prospect Brian Eldred was better. Idiots!
Posted by: GM-Carson | Monday, February 18, 2008 at 08:53 AM
That should be Brad Eldred, not Brian, who happens to have only 14 MLB homeruns and is no longer with the Pittsburgh organization.
Posted by: GM-Carson | Monday, February 18, 2008 at 08:58 AM
Phils also targeted Kip Wells of the Pirates in '05.
http://pabaseball.blogspot.com/2007/06/phlashback-phriday-wells-for-howard.html
Posted by: GM-Carson | Monday, February 18, 2008 at 09:04 AM
Oh man its going to be a fun year. Look at all these muts fans coming out of the woodwork already! Great article by Stark highlighting the recent development of the rivalry between the mets and phils. Like Shane Victorino said: "It's gonna be fun. Put it that way. It's going to be an interesting season. New York Mets 1, Philadelphia Phillies 1. Let's get it on."
LETS GET IT ON
Posted by: kbless | Monday, February 18, 2008 at 09:29 AM
The going to Japan threat is real. My boss' son is a non roster invitee pitcher for the Marlins. He tells me that the Carps have a scout at their camp and that players that don't make the team may be going to Japan instead of AAA ball. I bet Kendricks' intestinal system was running in full gear while this joke was in progress.
Posted by: Lake Fred | Monday, February 18, 2008 at 10:00 AM