Phillies third baseman Pedro Feliz underwent an MRI and was seen by a back specialist. The diagnosis: mild disc bulge, according to the beat writers. Feliz has been suspended from baseball-related activities until next week, they report.
Beerleaguer: This isn’t a crippling blow, but it’s still a setback, especially against left-handed pitching; Feliz is hitting .291/.339/.555 against left-handers. There’s been no mention about third base, but it doesn’t mean they're content to head into the stretch run with Mike Cervenak as the top infield reserve. Feliz could be out for a while, so they need help. That help is likely to come off the scrap pile, possibly after the non-waiver deadline. These types of deals are very hard to predict. Guys like Washington’s Ronnie Belliard and San Francisco’s Jose Castillo come to mind, but I’m stabbing the dark.
Rumor roundup: With the non-waiver deadline just minutes away, only one potential deal to report. Pirates outfielder Jason Bay is headed to Tampa, according to MLB.com. The Buccos will receive shortstop Reid Brignac and left-hander Jeff Niemann in exchange for Bay. If it happens, obviously the three-way deal involving Pittsburgh, Boston and Florida is dead and done.
IronPigs update: Kris Benson allowed one run on five hits through seven innings today in Norfolk, making that three straight quality starts for the rehabbing right-hander.
That’s good news, but if you want something better, look no further than Benson’s teammate, 31-year-old southpaw Les Walrond, the International League’s best pitcher over the month of July. Walrond threw eight shutout innings Tuesday, making it three-straight shutouts for the journeyman left-hander. Earlier in the month, he struck out 17 in a complete-game shutout. For July, he’s 4-0 with a 1.00 ERA and 43/12 K/BB ratio.
Time to try Burrell out at his College position... hahha
Posted by: Cipper | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:01 PM
Does anyone else realize that Rich Harden is the best pure pitcher in baseball?
Posted by: Jack | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:09 PM
Obviously you don't want a good defense who hits that well off LHP missing time, but the Phils have over twice as many total PA this season off RHP, off whom Feliz is hitting .239/.287/.361.
His replacements are hitting off RHP
Bruntlett: .223/.292/.282
Dobbs: .308/.345/.438
Bruntlett is .250/.354/.393 off LHP.
Off RHP he won't be missed.
Posted by: Sophist | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:12 PM
Wow. What a difference an hour makes. Out goes the Manny chat. In comes Ronnie Belliard.
Posted by: curt | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:12 PM
So Taguchi will likely stay the duration of the season now that Pedro is hurt. SoTag isn't even the last man on the bench anymore with Mike Cervenak taking that distinction. I could see Patty G making a play for old buddy Willie Bloomquist up in Seattle. He plays all over the diamond with great speed, just no power to speak of.
Posted by: GM-Carson | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:12 PM
"Stabbing in the dark" - both a way to guess at potential free agents, and the extent to which some commenters would go to remove Feliz from the lineup against right-handers
Posted by: King B | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:15 PM
and by "free agents", I mean waiver-wire pickups.
Posted by: King B | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:18 PM
"and the extent to which some commenters would go to remove Feliz from the lineup against right-handers"
Yes. Just looking at OBP, his loss isn't horrible even against LHP.
Feliz loss weakens the team's SLG and the team's bench. OBP goes up.
Posted by: Sophist | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:19 PM
Gillick: I think its best we do nothing here.
Monty: Great I'll call Claire.
Monty: Miss Betts, I saved us a lot of money today
Claire: Good Boy, Monty.
Posted by: BB | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:24 PM
Walrond is probably worth a look, but hopefully he's a little more than flavor-of-the-week-RJ-Swindle ilk.
Posted by: Mike | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:24 PM
Let's just hope Manny doesn't suddenly get traded to the Dodgers. Phils face them 8 times in the next 3 weeks.
Posted by: Sophist | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:25 PM
is charlie hayes too old to come back and play third?
actually, thats a horrible idea. he wouldn't be able to get his patented one-hop throw to first on CBPs grass field.
Posted by: Poster Nutbag | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:26 PM
Mike, dont say RJ swindle, I am making a snack with a sharp knife in my hand.
Posted by: BB | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:26 PM
BB: I was ducking tomatoes as I hit "Post".
Posted by: Mike | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:27 PM
Manny to LA, says SI.
Posted by: EastFallowfield | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:27 PM
First it was Rolen, then Bell, now Feliz. What's with the 3rd basemen and their backs? Only Rolen suffered on the Vet's turf. Maybe Adrian Beltre can slip through the waiver wire.
Posted by: danny-o | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:28 PM
Manny to the Dodgers confirmed by NESN and SI.com.
Posted by: Alex | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:28 PM
I saw Walrond pitch a shutout but it was against the Reds' ML system, so take that for what it's worth. He was pretty good.
Posted by: doubleh | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:29 PM
This whole 3rd base stuff started because they didn't want to pay Texiera so they let the Rangers draft him.
Posted by: BB | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:31 PM
I've also seen a Bay to the Dodgers rumor, since it seems the Rays deal is off.
http://trades.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/07/bay_in_dodger_blue.html
I'm suspect of this though since the wording is hazy and it may just be that Bay was pulled from the Rays and reinserted into a Manny deal.
Posted by: Mike | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:33 PM
On another note, there is a game tonight, no?
Isn't the starting pitcher for the Nats one John Lannan? Wasn't he the guy who broke Chase Utley's hand last season?
Kendrick's line for his last 3 starts vs. the Nats:
0-1 17.1 IP, 18 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 9 K, 1 HR, 3.63 ERA.
Lannan vs. Phils:
0-0, 4.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 8.31 ERA.
Posted by: AWH the RBP | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:34 PM
As Hawaiian Punch Pat rubs the sleep out of his eyes at the passing trade deadline, he quickly changes his ugly floral shirt and goes up to Billy and Monty's office to collect his end of the month paycheck, the whole time he is surely contemplating retirement from his GM position here:
PG: "Well guys, just like you asked, I took another fall for you at the trade deadline. I sure had 'em all talking about us trading for Manny, Holiday and Halliday didn't I?"
Monty: "You sure did Pat. Boy, I can't thank you enough. At least now the fans think we tried but just couldn't pull it off. Be sure to feed them the old 'Asking too much' line tonight on the 6:00 news."
PG: "I will Monty. That's the least I could do after you allowed me to steal another 3 years worth of salary instead of getting out of the game like I planned. Boy, Ruben has his work cut out for him next year. Wait till he dumps Burrell, gives Eaton another shot in the rotation at ST and trades for a few washed up stiffs at a low cost salary, the fans are gonna have him hung out to dry. He will be more hated than Jay Snider once was for the Flyers."
Billy: "Well Pat, Ruben can lie with the best of them. He'll be just fine. Besides, I'm thinking up some new Bobblehead ideas for next year, along with some Hawaiian night give-a-ways, in honor of you and Vic. I think we should throw in a few more dollar dog nights too, towards the end of the season, when we are 15 games out. With a little luck we'll draw 3.5 million."
PG: "Well guys, thanks for the chat. Let me go face the reporters. Nah, on second thought, let me find the kid...Hey Ruben!"
Posted by: Mr. Mack | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:35 PM
Sounds like Manny to the Dodgers, Bay to the Sox, and the Pirates get two prospects from each team. Living in the LA area I go to Dodger games relatively frequently (for my MLB fix), so maybe their games will actually be somewhat exciting now.
Posted by: Mike | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:40 PM
From MLB.com: The Pirates will be announcing a trade shortly, as they are a part of a three-team trade that involves the Pirates, Dodgers and Red Sox. According to an industry source, Manny Ramirez has been dealt to the Dodgers. The Pirates are believed to have gotten Brandon Moss and Craig Hansen from Boston and Bryan Morris and Andy LaRoche, the brother of Pirates' Adam LaRoche, from Los Angeles. Boston is believed to have received Bay.
Posted by: Jim | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 04:53 PM
I don't want to turn this into fantasy baseball zone but I've been proposed a deal that could shake the foundation of the 6 year keeper league I'm in.
Currently I'm in 1st place by three points. The guy in 5th place is offering me this deal. I should also mention he and I are tied in saves. I'm behind a little in RBI's and HR's to teams in front of me
He desperately wants Josh Hamilton off me (11th round pick).
He offered me Alfonso Soriano, Mike Jacobs, and Mike Gonzalez for Hamilton.
Then he said- if I was willing to throw in Cliff Lee (FA pick-up, would be a 13th round keeper) he would add Corey Hart to the deal (5th round pick)
So basically we're looking at Hamilton, Lee, & PTBNL for Soriano, Jacobs, Hart, & Gonzalez.
Now I don't think Hamilton and Lee come close to these numbers next year so I need to cash out high on these guys right? Does that seem like fair value to everyone? It does to me but I'm also too close to the situation.
Posted by: The Truth Injection | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 05:22 PM
>>Isn't the starting pitcher for the Nats one John Lannan? Wasn't he the guy who broke Chase Utley's hand last season?<<
Nah, he was the guy who played with Paul McCartney.
Posted by: Jim J | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 06:38 PM