Saturday chat: Worley tries to even up series

Looking ahead to this afternoon and reviewing the Mike Fontenot deal.

More on Fontenot: You can't swing a dead cat by its tail without hitting a rejected utility infielder who signed a minor league deal with the Phillies at some point, most recently, Andres Blanco, who is just 5-for-24 (.208) with no extra-base hits for the IronPigs. Fontenot is someone the Phils reportedly had some interest in acquiring last off-season, and when he was released by the Giants on April 3, and considering the dwindling depth among the Phillies' infield, Fontenot's name was immediately floated as a possible fit. Even with Fontenot's experience, it's becoming more and more likely the Phils won't jack with Freddy Galvis' good juju at second. However, it's pretty likely Fontenot will work his way to Philly and eventually replace Pete Orr as the Phils cycle Jose Contreras back into the mix and continue to evaluate their roster; Contreras is expected back tomorrow.

Fontenot's a pretty good fielder with spot power. Fangraphs gave him a 1.0 WAR in 2011 and he batted .227/.304/.377 with four homers and 21 RBIs in 252 plate appearances. According to the team Web site, he will report to extended Spring Training in Clearwater. Is this a good deal? I've given up trying to guess.

Mets 5, Phillies 2: Nothing to take out of this one except Freddy's first dinger. Just not a sharp effort out of the chute starting with Cliff Lee.

Game chat: It's Jon Niese and Vance Worley beginning at 4:05 on CSN. As always, Beerleaguer Game Chat is powered by the Drexel Lebow MBA.

Comments

[SLO Phan]

My whole world is powered by the Dexel Lebow MBA.

[nonamePHame]

thats what josh batushansky said.

[awh]

REPOST:

My nomination for most idiotic post of the day:

"Michael Cuddyer so far this year:
.357/.400.643
Absolutely tearing it up."

Let me add to the stupidity:

_______________ so far this year:
.350/.391/.600
Absolutely tearing it up."

Gee, I guess we can expect both of these players, who've had exactly 30 and 23 PA, respectively, to continue to hit that well for the rest of the season, no?

[lorecore]

Wright in the lineup today?

[awh]

As somebody mentioned in the earlier thread, the good news about Fontenot (and maybe even Blanco) is that we may never see mini-mart in a Phillies uni again.

No il will toward him, but he just isn't an MLB calibre player.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Lee will be fine. Threw a few fat ones but, his stuff is still tremendous. Could have finished that game but, for some reason, Manuel wanted to give Nix some work instead of going with the better hitter with a man on and 3 runs down.

[awh]

lore, I read that he'd been cleared to play.

[cut_fastball]

awh -- Cuddyer's got plenty left in the tank:
.357/.400./643 so far speaks volumes. Bleep the small sample size.

I got a small sample size for you: save opportunities for Papelbon. Idiotic, indeed.

[GTown_Dave]

Vic (CF), Polanco (3B), Rollins (SS), Pence (RF), Mayberry (LF), Wigginton (1B), Galvis (2B), Schneider (C), Worley (P).

Wright is in the lineup for NYM, batting 3rd.

[Kevin]

If that dead cat is hitting everything in sight I'm sure Ruben's looked into signing it too.

[aksmith]

Schneider is batting below Galvis. That's all you need to know about resiging Schneider.

I'm a Galvis fan, and even I know that this means Schneider may be the worst position player in all of baseball.

[awh]

cut, if you think 30 PA speaks volumes then you are , indeed, a member of the Moronocracy.

You obviously think this speaks volumes about David Frees and the 33 PA he has had this season:

.406/.424/.688

BTW, I'm not complimenting or defending the Phillies offense, just the abject and sheer stupidity of thinking that a 30 PA slash line means anything.

[awh]

cut, the Rockies are also 3 - 4. How many "volumes" does that slash line of Cuddyer's "speak" for their record?

[GBrettFan]

From Zolecki, who talked to Rollins about the Thole play:
* * *
In the top of the second inning in last night’s 5-2 loss to the Mets, R.A. Dickey executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance Josh Thole to second base with one out. Phillies first baseman Jim Thome tagged Dickey about halfway up the first-base line and nonchalantly tossed the ball back to Cliff Lee, who believed like everybody else at Citizens Bank Park the play had ended.

In fact, Rollins motioned for Thole that he did not need to slide as he reached second base, which is something he has done since he reached the big leagues whenever there is no play at the base.

“Nice hit,” Thole told Rollins as he reached second, referring to Rollins’ first-inning double.

“Thanks,” Rollins replied.

Then Thole inexplicably turned around and walked back to first base.

Lee dropped his head momentarily to start rubbing the ball in preparation for the next pitch when he looked up at Rollins, who was gesturing for the ball and saying his name while trying not to alert Thole. Lee tossed the ball to Rollins, who fired the ball to Freddy Galvis. At this point Thole realized he had made a mistake and started to sprint back to first base, but Galvis applied the tag before he could get there.

“For a split second I thought about letting him walk back to first so we don’t have a runner in scoring position,” Rollins said. “But then I was like, ‘No, we’ve got to get him out.’ It’s funny how fast that happened.”

“I don’t know what I was thinking,” Thole said.

[awh]

It drives me crazy when people post here thing like this:

"______________ pitched well except for a couple of pitches that got tatooed and cost them the game."

I have news for you: If a pitcher gives up a couple of HR in a game he did NOT pitch well.

Lee didn't do his job well last night. Period.

He's still a very good pitcher, as MG's comparison to Halladay in the previous thread so aptly pointed out. "Very good", but not "great".

Since 2005, Halladay has a 2.80 ERA in 1571 IP.

Since 2005, Lee has a 3.43 ERA in 1413 IP.

It's not even close.

Frankly - and this is not an insult to Lee, but rather, a compliment to Halladay - it's a bit of a disservice to Halladay to compare the two of them.

[bay_area_phan]

I get that Ruiz needs a rest now & then but, on a team that lacks for offense, I simply haven't the words to articulate how moronic it is to give Ruiz the day off, and start Schneider, on precisely the day that we're facing a LHP. This personal catcher thing is being taken to extremes. If you're Steve Carlton, maybe you're entitled to demand a personal catcher. If you're Vance Worley, you don't get to tell the manager who your catcher is going to be.

[Mick O]

Thanks for that GBF, I've been watching that play over and over trying to discern any surprise in Rollins demeanor as it's going down. I see none. It's a tremendously fascinating play. Always something new in baseball.

[GBrettFan]

I wonder if Worley even cares who catches him.

[AL]

I don't think it's Vance making the decision. I've read/heard nothing to think that from Brian or Vance.

[jr]

Divide Worley's wins into Schneider's salary and it becomes even worse.I'll take that for a days pay.How about a year?

[Hugh Mulcahy]

awh: "It drives me crazy when people post here thing like this:

'______________ pitched well except for a couple of pitches that got tatooed and cost them the game.'"

This is a funny post since, nobody posted anything like that in this thread. Maybe you're just plain crazy.

[bay_area_phan]

awh: I agree that Halladay is better than Lee, for reasons stated by MG. But if you're trying to measure Cliff Lee's PRESENT ability as a pitcher, no reasonable person would use 2005 as the starting point. He'd use 2008 as the starting point.

Since 2008, Halladay has pitched 969.1 innings and has a 2.59 ERA. Lee has pitched 900 innings and has a 2.83 ERA. While he hasn't been quite as good as Halladay, I have no problem using the adjective "great" to describe a pitcher who, over the last 4 years, has pitched 900 innings and posted a 2.83 ERA.

[awh]

Hugh, read the previous thread. There were several people who posted comments to that effect.

Were you one of them?

[bay_area_phan]

"I don't think it's Vance making the decision."

I don't think so either. In fact, I'm quite sure it's not him. It's Cholly arbitrarily deciding that, if Worley's pitching, Schneider's catching. That makes it even more offensive.

It's yet another example of our manager using certain players in the worst way possible. Papelbon gets to pitch when we're down by 3 runs, but he doesn't get to pitch when it's a tied game in the 9th inning on the road. Pierre starts against RHPs, even though his numbers against them are woeful. And Schneider starts even when a LHP is on the mound, because Cholly has arbitrarily determined that he is Worley's personal catcher.

Not that Brian Schneider can hit RHP either. But, since 2008, he is 4 for 52 against LHP. But I guess Cholly thinks that this offense is good enough that it can afford to have an absolutely automatic out in the lineup.

I'm actually glad I'm going to miss most of this game, because I've already worked myself into a p*ssed off mood just looking at the lineup.

[awh]

bap, I get your point, but I wasn't really referring to the PRESENT. I was more referring to each pitcher's body of work and how they are likely to be regarded historically.

Roy Halladay is, simply, the best pitcher in baseball.

The Phillies had a similar situation when Carlton was here in his prime.

I remember a comment about Carlton by an opposing player (parapharased):

'How good is he? Well, there are a lot of left-handed pitchers in MLB, but when someone talks about "Lefty" everyone knows who you mean'.

The same could be said about "Doc".

[Bonehead]

What, Halladay is a doctor?

[Bonehead]

What, Halladay is a doctor?

[bay_area_phan]

awh: Fair enough.

[GTown_Dave]

Halladay fans come off as extremely insecure. You can't even begin to compliment another pitcher w/out inducing a cyclone of indignant outrage. Personally, I'm glad both Halladay AND Lee are Phillies. And quite frankly, I'm also glad Lee didn't pitch a 1 or 2 run gem last night, because it would have made the Phillies' offensive ineptitude, & eventual loss, even more difficult to stomach.

[awh]

GTown, I'm a Halladay AND Lee fan.

I just think Halladay is the better pitcher.

Is there something wrong with posting to that effect?

[GTown_Dave]

Wrong? No. But when no one is actually disputing it? Kinda pointless. I mean, we're all Phillies fans here. We already know. Maybe go tell that idiot on MLB Network who thinks Kershaw is the best pitcher in the game instead.

[Raul's grandpa]

Fontenot = Jeremy Roenick and Denis Leary's love child, or long lost member of Alice in Chains.

[kilbillrain]

Game on CSN?? I thought it was on FOX this afternoon?

[curt]

If Cholly wants to rest Ruiz, he has to send Schneider out there when Worley's on the mound. The Big Four wouldn't have him last year, and I'm sure Blanton feels the same way. It just makes what Worley has accomplished even more impressive.

[GTown_Dave]

Just tell Blanton that Schneider is made of pork rinds & Keystone Light. It's not only most likely true, it sets us up to eliminate two problems at once.

[Bake McBride was Here]

"Fontenot = Jeremy Roenick and Denis Leary's love child, or long lost member of Alice in Chains."

Don't forget Jordan Staal of Penguins fame.

[Luis]

Guessing the game hasnt started since there isnt 400 posts and a play by play on every pitch thrown, swing and hit ball. Theres always a home for every cast away infielder on the Phillies. Matter of fact Rube has a special hotline for it. 1-800-CAS-AWAY...

[limoguy]

I don't believe it's idiotic to say how a player is doing so far in the season unless you're trying to say that this predicts their performance for the rest of the year. If BL'ers know anything, it's that a player's stats go up and down during the course of year. This shouldn't stop us from pointing out that a player is currently playing well.

[GBrettFan]

I had assumed that the game start was 4:00 because it was going to be Fox's Saturday afternoon game. Guess not.

[Bake McBride was Here]

Break your pinkie, still beat the Phils.

[GTown_Dave]

Well, this game is over fast.

[Slocs]

hmm with a broken finger... He is looking good... damn

[GTown_Dave]

Luis: I believe the correct number is 1-800-2YR-DEAL

[sdphillie]

Just turned on the game, and noticed it's 1-0. Did we spot them a run?

[Bake McBride was Here]

Kinda blows that the Flyers aren't on, so that the grinding, relentless pain of watching the Phils lose to the Mets can't be soothed a bit by an epic Flyers comeback.

Oh look, Polanco and Rollins got hits. Have I spoken too soon?

[SLO Phan]

Bake: No, you haven't.

[EastFallowfield]

A few games are starting at 4 because Fox had the Yankees on at 1.

[GTown_Dave]

Remember back when the Phillies had players young enough to go 1B to 3B? I miss that.

[GBrettFan]

Radio said Polly held up making sure ball wouldn't be caught.

Nice SO/CS DP there.

[Slocs]

Boy the Mets have some great some good base runners...

[wes covington'd ghost]

Job would not be a hunter pence fan.

[EastFallowfield]

Remember when the Mets had players who would run from first to second and not turn around and go back to first?

[Bake McBride was Here]

Mayberry, Piggly Wiggly, and Galvis to the rescue.

[Bake McBride was Here]

Union just got awarded a PK.

[GBrettFan]

Thank goodness we have starting pitching and decent defense. Seems the whole team has started the year with Jayson Werth "Can't hit with RISP" syndrome. That's if they can hit at all.

I kid, but it is slow going waiting for the offense to get started, not knowing whether they ever will. We have scored fewer runs than any other NL team except the Pirates, although as Charlie and some posters here pointed out - 11 hits last night should have resulted in more than 2 runs, 1 of which was gifted.

[EastFallowfield]

Met announcer harping on the Phils' poor offense, coming in the Mets had scored 3 more runs than the Phils.

[SLO Phan]

Wow, I never get tired of hearing the phrase "Ground ball, weakly hit" when the Phils are batting.

[GTown_Dave]

Crippled David Wright would still be the best Phillies position player, & by a wide margin.

[EastFallowfield]

Galvis has really been hitting since clout pretended I said he was a good hitter.

[sdphillie]

Freddy needs to bat leadoff. This much, I'm certain.

[Bake McBride was Here]

Schneider. Damn.

[GTown_Dave]

Unreal.

[GBrettFan]

LA & Franzke making fun of Charlie saying Schneider is not Vanimal's personal catcher.

Franzke: "Not a personal catcher, just caught him 13 times in a row."
LA: "Not a personal catcher, just going to catch every time he pitches."

I love the banter between these two!

[Slocs]

Maybe schneider needs to see more lefthanders almost got a hit.

Think we need to start a pool for when schneider gets a hit? I'm guessing first weekend in May.

[Bake McBride was Here]

Screw this. I'm going to nuke some mini pancakes.

[Slocs]

GBrettFan - I know love it. They have no problem telling it like it is. Like Mayberry has got to learn to hit an inside pitch

In contrast, I still remember Wheels telling us what a great athlete Eaton was every time he started like that some how made up for the gopher balls he threw every start

[nonamePHame]

is vance for real? no sophomore slump to speak of (as of yet).

[GBrettFan]

Beltran told Niese to get a nose job on him, and he did? Shouldn't Niese have gotten a better-looking nose as long as he was getting work done?

[wes covington'd ghost]

you could look at it in a more positive way by saying the more schneider plays, the greater the chance he'll get hurt.

[GBrettFan]

(on Beltran's dime, I mean)

[SLO Phan]

GBrett: There's only so much modern medicine can do.

[Let's eat]

Ball 4 Shane

[Luis]

HaHa G-town thats the 2nd number in case the first one is busy....

[Scotch Man]

I don't have a very good feeling about this game.

[Meyer]

Time to pull Schneider.

[GTown_Dave]

The Phils need to set up their triple play defense or this one's a goner.

[GBrettFan]

noname, did you jinx Worley?

[Phlipper (thinking of going back to rooting for the Mets)]

WTF?

Bay was struck out there.

[nonamePHame]

I did I guess. However, that 2-2 pitch to Bay was at the belt in the middle of the plate....and a ball?

4-0 game over thanks for coming...sorry for jinxing lol

[GBrettFan]

Well, the game is now out of reach.

[GTown_Dave]

That'll do, pig.

[Let's eat]

When it rains--- it pours

Scheetz

[Scotch Man]

Alright Oswalt. Time to start throwing.

[GBrettFan]

Worley not having a good day.

[SLO Phan]

What are the chances of the Phils scoring 5 runs in this game?

[Scotch Man]

I'll give you 45-1 odds SLO

[Let's eat]

The ump squeezing him a little?

[denny b.]

This strikezone is the size of a postage stamp.

Maybe the Phils offense can take advantage.

[Meyer]

A Galvis grand slam will not be enough.

[Let's eat]

The phillies hitters are too anxious!!!

[Phlipper (thinking of going back to rooting for the Mets)]

This is now officially unwatchable.

[Let's eat]

Sarg tells it like it is! Re:how undisciplined the phillies hitters are

[GBrettFan]

Chances of the Phils scoring 5 runs in this game? I don't feel the chances are high of them scoring 5 runs in any game this year, unless by some miracle we get vintage Utley and vintage Howard back.

[Scotch Man]

Bobby Abreu, Mark Reynolds, and Marlon Byrd are the only known position players I can think of that are available. If I'm Rube, I'm trying to land Reynolds and Abreu or Byrd.

[Choo Choo Coleman]

MEET THE METS,
MEET THE METS,
Step right up and greet the Mets!
Bring your kiddies,
bring your wife;
Guaranteed to have the time of your life
because the Mets are really sockin' the ball; knocking those home runs over the wall!
East side,
West side,
everybody's coming down
to meet the M-E-T-S Mets of New York town!

[PHinBK]

it's really fun when you think that as soon as the other team takes the lead your going to lose.

[Let's eat]

Time to watch law-order -ci marathon

This is unwatchable

[Let's eat]

Not fun but realistic

[nonamePHame]

victorino = gone
hamels = gone

trade them at the deadline please rube.

[bay_area_phan]

"Chances of the Phils scoring 5 runs in this game?"

If only you substituted the word "week" for "game," and if you further told me that Adam Eaton and J.D. Durbin were scheduled to start against us during that week, then I would say the chances are pretty strong.