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[CJ]

1985 Topps

Classic.

[Willard Preacher]

Looks like CJ and I were on the same page there.

At any rate, let's hope that Brad REALLY is healthy before any return. I don't care if it's for a contract, to earn his spot back, or just because he misses playing, I don't want him back before he's 100%. His track record will have us all a bit dubious, though, as if CJ and I are on the same page, it's a red flag.

[Spitz]

Worley has a smile just like Lee in last night's game chat. I expect the same result Vanimal!

[Willard Preacher]

And Lackey looks like he has lockjaw. I'll leave it at that.

[CJ]

The 1985 Topps referenced the 1984 season, of course.

That was Roger Clemens' rookie season (9-4, 4.32 ERA, 8.5 K/9), Oil Can Boyd was 12-12 that season (one of the greatest nicknames ever). Familiar names up and down the lineup: Boggs, Buckner, Rice, Armas, Evans.

The Phils rotation was anchored by a 39 year old Lefty and a 41 year old Jerry Koosman. The linup included: Schmidt, Virgil, Hayes, Samuel, de Jesus and Sixto Lezcano (another great baseball name).

[gobaystars!]

I like these unflattering pics of Red Sox pitchers. Nicely done.

[bay_area_phan]

This feels like a shellacking.

[CJ]

Oh... and I was 7 years old, so I can't comment on how impressive Michael Jack Schmidt's HRs were... except to say I'm sure all 36 were very impressive.

[Spitz]

BAP, shellacking for whom? I'm assuming you've noticed Lackey has pitched this season?

[NoahD]

/spillover from last thread/

So gents, what are the thoughts of any possible trade for Right handed bat out of Left field. Is there any way to get rid of Ibanez' "untradeable" contract? Does Ruben have the cajones to go all out for a guy who isn't over 30, like an Adam Jones/Hunter Pence/Andrew McCutchen? (I recognize none of them are LF, but they seem capable of transition.)

[Scotch Man]

Feels like a trap

[mvptommyd]

Wow, rough day around here? Those threads were brutal to read.

Excited for Game 2 tonight. It will be good to see how Worley handles this lineup with Papi inserted in at 1st.

[Phlipper]

I certainly hope that the Phils win - but in the event that they do lose, I just hope that they won't drop significantly in their run differential advantage over the Braves; because if that happened, it would mean that the Braves will give them more of a run for their money in the division race.

[mvptommyd]

BAP: Still predicting 0 runs for the rest of the series?

[Phlipper]

"I'm assuming you've noticed Lackey has pitched this season?"

From what I've seen, Lackey has been lacking.

[denny b.]

Here is how the pitching rotation should look until the All Star Game:

RED SOX-

Thursday- Hamels

at JAYS-

Friday- Kendrick
Saturday- Halladay
Sunday- Lee

at MARLINS-

Monday- Worley
Tuesday- Hamels
Wednesday- Kendrick

BRAVES-

Friday- Halladay
Saturday- Lee
Sunday- probably Hamels moved up

[Spitz]

Doc, Lee, Hamels against the Braves? I like that!

[AL]

The thought of Halladay, Hamels and Lee lined up for the Braves series has been quite excited.

[mvptommyd]

Not sure if it was mentioned today but does anyone realize that Manuel is only 52 wins away from the most regular season wins as a manger in Phillies history? Do you think it can happen this season?

[BloodStripes]

As the baseball card suggests. Lackey blows.

[SLO Phan]

Here's hoping Lackey doesn't do his Carpenter impersonation tonight.

[bay_area_phan]

"BAP, shellacking for whom? I'm assuming you've noticed Lackey has pitched this season?"

Yep. And I've also noticed how the Phillies have hit.

[aksmith]

Don't get too cockey about Lee facing the Braves. Those matchups haven't been his finest hours.

[bay_area_phan]

Can anyone shed any light about why ESPN hasn't switched to the game coverage & MLB Gameday still shows nothing happening even though the game was supposed to have started 5 minutes ago? Is there a rain delay or something?

[Hugh Mulcahy]

No delay.

[Willard Preacher]

I can't quite explain why, but Ellsbury's face looks especially punchable.

[Willard Preacher]

Ditto Pedroia's face.

[Spitz]

Nah, it started at 7:11 eastern BAP.

[mvptommyd]

Worley is getting ahead early. Good to see.

[PhxPhilly]

Now is a good time for Red Sox to experiment with their World Series lineup. I really do not think catching a baseball is that tremendously difficult for major league players.

However, the non-routine plays should be interesting. I remember Vlad putting on a clinic of ineptitude in RF during World Series last season.

[bay_area_phan]

Sometimes you've got to wonder what universe these Phillies announcers are living in. Like when they say, "Worley's doing exactly what he did against the A's: coming out throwing strikes in the first inning."

I believe the first inning he's referring to is the one where Worley walked 2 batters, including the leadoff guy, and threw 27 pitches because he couldn't find the plate. Today, on the other hand, he's looking quite sharp so far.

[Demon Nick Brown]

Wow, four pitches for Jimmy. Long at bat for him.

[mvptommyd]

Howard has to be patient here and wait on a fastball. He will get one. The question will be when.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Howard swung at two balls and put himself ina position of having to swing at the pitcher's pitch.

[mvptommyd]

Hugh: Exactly. I think that the exact opposite of the patient AB we needed there. Keep those 2 early baserunners in the back of your mind. With Worley on the hill, that could have cost us the game.

[denny b.]

Score this kid a few runs.

[NEPP]

Love the game thread header...great job, JW.

Great start for Vance.

[The Truth Injection]

Worley is dealing so far today.

[bay_area_phan]

Worley's first 2 innings are the most impressive thing I've witnessed since Domonic Brown's homerun last night.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Pounding fastballs and strikes is a nice change from the way he's pitched the last couple games. Worley's had quite a few fastballs drift back over the plate, though.

[bay_area_phan]

I'll consider this Ibanez AB a victory if he can ground one to the right side & move Vic over. I'm not counting on it, though.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Raold

[CJ]

I love the fact that Raul Ibanez is the one to prove bap wrong. What sweet, sweet irony.

[bay_area_phan]

Ah, I love being made to look instantly stupid.

[The Truth Injection]

Nice piece of hitting by Ibanez to drop the bat head on that and drive it to left center.

[mvptommyd]

So looks like BAP was wrong about his shutout prediction...

[Hugh Mulcahy]

not a strike

[NEPP]

Larger strikezone tonight so far...for both sides.

[CJ]

And if people can't recognize bap's skill with the Reverse Beerleaguer Jinx, they just haven't been paying attention. A few more years like this and he'll be a shoe-in for the Reverse Jinx Hall of Fame.

[NEPP]

Very low strike call there but Worley is also getting that low strike so its tough to complain.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Look at the wheels on that old man.

[CJ]

Large strike zone against Brown there... thought there were a couple of balls that were called strikes. That last pitch was close. Borderline.

[NEPP]

Schneider is terrible.

[The Truth Injection]

Good pitch by Lackey- Brown must've been looking for something else. I thought a good at bat overall though. They were pitching him away there 1-2 and 2-2 to try and get him to roll over on something and he laid off them and got a pitch to hit that he guessed wrong on.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Brown didn't have a good view of some of hte low calls Worley got from out there in right.

[EastFallowfield]

NESN's strike zone box had the Brown pitch low, for what that's worth.

[denny b.]

Schneider is sitting dead red and jams himself on Lackey's 90 MPH fastball.

[NEPP]

There goes the no-hitter.

[The Truth Injection]

The pitch to Brown there was a strike all the way I thought. Pitch FX agrees

[NEPP]

Jerry Remy or Wheels?

I cant decide which is more annoying.

Could we trade Sarge for Heidi Watney?

[NEPP]

I cannot imagine that the BoSox hitters will watch that fastball down the middle the second time through the order.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

big zone

[NEPP]

Loving this strikezone tonight.

he's calling the low strike, he's calling the high strike, he's calling both corners for the most part.

Loving it.

[NEPP]

FWIW, the ump is just going by the actual rulebook for the zone. If this zone was called all season, Doc would probably have a 0.45 ERA and 32 Wins.

[Andrew]

Vance Worlee.

[Spitz]

Dear Jose Reyes - Please consider Philadelphia in 2012.

[NEPP]

Loving the Phanatic mocking Big Papi...classic.

[CJ]

Spitz: I know it seems like the Phils can spend money like a drunken sailor, but they won't be buying Reyes who will get P-A-I-D this offseason. Our priorities will likely be closer and locking up Hamels long-term.

Besides, Reyes is a world-class jack8ss.

[SLO Phan]

So much for plate patience. Phils reverting to form?

[NEPP]

I'd be okay with bringing Jimmy back...as long as there is a clause in his deal that states he cannot bat higher than 7th in the lineup.

[mvptommyd]

The Parkway event messed up his swing.

[Spitz]

CJ, I don't care if he's a jack8ss. He's something like 9 for his last 10 and killing it this year. I'm sure our clubhouse and right one jack8ss anyway.

Phillies are dropping significant salary this offseason...Raul, Lidge, maybe Oswalt, and Rollins if Reyes comes here. There's plenty of money for both Madson and Reyes.

[NEPP]

Reyes, who is having a very conveniently timed career year, will be massively overpaid this winter...his deal will make the Figgins deal look downright reasonable. It will also probably end about as well given Jose's penchant for mailing it in 90% of the time.

[NEPP]

Reyes will command a minimum of $18-20 million per next year. There is ZERO chance we could afford him AND extend Hamels (a far greater priority IMHO). There's also the holes we'll have at Closer and LF to consider.

[NEPP]

Routine DP by Howard...as usual.

[f4f]

Vance Worlee.

its sounds almost like a black person's name.

[CJ]

Nice... good pitch by the Vanimal to get A-Gon to roll over and Howard took his time with a slow hitter coming to first.

[wes covington]

nepp- agreed. chances are he'll revert to lazy, choking ass dog once he gets his money.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Howard threw that ball a bit more over the top than he usually does. And, without hesitation.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Pounding the zone

[NEPP]

Reyes is a career 101 OPS+ guy coming into this season. He's posting a 157 OPS+ this year.

Which do you think is closer to his true ability level? Also, almost all of his triples are happening in Citi field...all those go away once he goes to a park with a more reasonable sized outfield.

[Spitz]

3-6-3 double play? Feels like Howard is going to follow that up with a homer.

[CJ]

Spitz: ZERO chance the Phils will go after Reyes. He's a player these fans hate... he's got a terrible reputation which is well-earned and wouldn't endear him to Charlie... and he'll be massively overpaid by someone else.

And I don't want him anywhere near this team. World-class jack8ss.

[bullit]

romero's not seasoned, t-bag. he's friggin' marinated.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

I saw a cat do that same move once after getting run over by a car.

[wes covington]

a fist might look good in youk's face too.

[NEPP]

Well, Vance DID have a good pitch count prior to that AB.

[CJ]

First walk for Vance comes in the 4th inning. Anyone think it would really take that long?

[bay_area_phan]

It's dangerous to sign guys coming off career years. But Reyes was plenty good before this season and he's only 28. His biggest issue has been his health.

Assuming his huge season continues, he will undoubtedly receive a massive contract & there's a very good chance that he'll never quite live up to it. But I feel pretty confident that, if he stays healthy, he won't be another Chone Figgins.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

A little more dicey the second time through.

[NEPP]

Youk is one of those guys I would LOVE to see in a Phillies uniform but simply cannot stand watching play otherwise.

See also:

David Wright

[Spitz]

NEPP, you can't say that he will get 18-20MM a year, and then follow that up with his career 101 OPS+. I think he gets 14-15MM per, for maybe 5 years.

[NEPP]

The Reyes thing got me on a tangent. Can't believe he has 98 triples on his career so far. More ridiculous, Ty Cobb had 295 triples in his career.

How ridiculously insane is that number?

The all time leader is Sam Crawford with 309 triples. Pretty safe to say that that record will never be topped.

[Matt]

Wow, that's a ball.

[bullit]

sam elliot is selling rammmm boxes to guys with inadequacy issues.

[NEPP]

Spitz...do you want to take the under on what Reyes gets this year and make it $17.5 million?

I'll go with the over, you can have under.

Agreed?

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Howard got the exact same pitch on 1-2 as in his first at bat. Probably a good decisio nnot to swing since he would have just grounded it into the shift.

[Spitz]

NEPP, sounds good. Loser has to have dinner with Clout?

[3r0ck]

66 through 4IP? Does Worley start in the 7th?

[the_berger]

ESPN non-Nomar announcer: "Ibanez in there with half a cycle."

My head almost exploded.