Wednesday thread: Never bet against a bullpen vet

So it looks like Danys Baez will win back his job in the Phillies bullpen.

A few weeks ago, I made a bet that if Baez makes the team, I’d order a custom Baez jersey and wear it to every game this season. Guess I’ll go with the batting practice reds. Baez pitched another strong inning yesterday and hasn’t walked a batter in 3 1-3 innings.

What’s worse than shelling out coin to have a small-time journeyman on my back is knowing that even after seven years, I’m making the same old mistakes, none greater than overvaluing prospects in the dead of winter. Justin De Fratus, Scott Mathieson, Mike Stutes – nice prospects and all – but none of them have the right amount of polish to overthrow a seasoned vet in spring training, especially on a team vying for it all. Not to mention that, historically, breaking in as a reliever has been harder than it has for starters. When was the last time a Phillies prospect bullied his way into the bullpen picture? You’d have to go all the way back to Ryan Madson, who was eased onto the club through the ‘pen in 2004, only to flop as a starter in 2006. After that, how does Geoff Geary grab you? And after Geary, one could make a reasonable case for Antonio Bastardo. The Phillies have been far more successful at grooming starters with any kind of staying power: Brett Myers, Cole Hamels, J.A. Happ, Kyle Kendrick among them. Barring a meltdown, Kendrick will make the squad as their longman.

Meanwhile, there’s a never-ending list of hot-handed relief prospects who’ve come and gone, and more than a few from this “Mathieson” class will inevitably join them. At least I didn’t pre-order a Zagurski jersey.

Comments

[Crotchbat]

Press conference shortly. Speculation is it's about Utley.

[MG]

JW - Visual confirmation of your 'Red Badge of Shame?'

[J. Weitzel]

MG: Yeah, I'll need to post it once it's in my possession. I'll wait until the last possible moment.

Thing is, if I'm in the press box, I can't wear a jersey in there. So do I get the replica t-shirt and wear it underneath?

[NEPP]

Utley will be undergoing amputation surgery on his leg along with TJ surgery on BOTH arms. He is expected to miss the first 6 weeks as a result.

[NEPP]

If you could get the jersey signed by Baez, that would be even better.

[awh]

Wow, JW, I need to comment on the last thread.

I understand you're trying to be a voice of reason here, but the Doomsday Dopes who come here will seize on anything you write that might support a glass-empty view of the state of the Phillies.

Yes, St. Utley's health is important, just like it was last season. As we know from experience, they cannot possibly win without him in the lineup.

Why, when Chase Utley tore his thumb ligament on June 28th, the Phillies lost that game and were 40 - 34 at the time, playing .540 baseball.

Then, because he was out of the lineup, they stunk the joint up and went 26 - 17 until August 17th when he returned. That was so bad it was a horrible display of .604 baseball.

And, to top it all off, they lost Ryan Howard from July 30th to August 20th with that ankle sprain - and that really caused them to go into the tank. They were tearing the league up when they lost Howard, 57 - 48, .543 baseball, and WITHOUT UTLEY AND HOWARD, from August 2nd to August 16th, they played their worst baseball of the season, going 9 - 3, .750.

When I really take a look at what happened last season, I find that the Phillies have a singular inability to compete without their star offensive players. It must be that the reason they were playing .543 baseball when Howard got hurt is that the hitters really let the team down.

I just think about last seasan, and then it dawns on me...

no Blanton until May

No Lidge until May

no Madson for 2 months (dumbass)

no Happ until July

Moyer DL'd for the season...

but then, lo' and behold, coming from the deep South at the end of July, a quiet Mississippi tractor driver mysteriously showed up.

All of a sudden, for no reason whatsoever, the Phillies started winning - from the time that mysterious tractor driver arrived.

And you know, I just can't figure out why. There was no reason for it. How could this team go 41 - 19, .683 baseball, for the rest of the season? How could this team have gone 9 - 3 WITHOUT both Utley and Howard?

It was a mystery to me.

And then I read somewhere that it's all about pitching, pitching and more pitching.

The Doomsday Dopes who post here would do well to remember that.

[MG]

JW - That would suffice but the more important question is do they even make replica Baez jerseys or is that a custom purchase?

Definitely a 'Straight Cash Homey' potential post in 2-3 years.

[NEPP]

I'd go with a powder blue Baez replica jersey...that'd be awesome.

Guaranteed to be a one of a kind original.

[ddeeddse]

Baez strikes out a few stiffs late in the game and you appoint him the saviour
okey dokey

[Shawn]

@ddeeddse whack comment of the day?

danys also is a great translator and mentor to old man contreras.

[EastFallowfield]

.

[Shane]

Pics, or it didn't happen!

[doc joe]

No mention of David herndon? ERA 0.00 so far. May be the best of the bunch