Mike Costanzo: A major league ballplayer, at last

In case you missed it over the weekend, Mike Costanzo is officially a Major League Baseball player.

Costanzo, one of three players shipped to the Astros in the November 2007 trade for Brad Lidge, made his ML debut on Sunday. He came on as a pinch-hitter for the Reds and lifted a sacrifice fly in his first career at-bat.

Not only was Costanzo originally chosen by the Phils in the second round of the '05 draft, but he's also a local kid from Springfield, Pa.

After getting traded to Houston and then to Baltimore, the Orioles asked Costanzo to switch to pitching in April 2010. Costanzo refused and was promptly released. He spent two weeks playing independent ball in Camden before signing with the Reds in May 2010. Over the past three seasons, Costanzo has alternated between Double-A and Triple-A. The 28-year-old was hitting .291 with three homers and 11 RBIs for Triple-A Louisville at the time of his recall. 

With Scott Rolen hurt again - this time with shoulder pain - Costanzo could conceivably get some playing time at third base for Cincinnati. At the very least, he'll give the Reds a lefty bat off the bench.

And if you like this kind of feel-good story, here are some of Costanzo's quotes from Sunday:

"A lot of emotions are running around in my head. It's been quite a journey for me. I'm ecstatic about being here. ....... I love baseball. Definitely being 28 and in Triple-A the last five years, going to indy ball and doing all of that stuff, it makes you wonder sometimes. Never did I want to stop playing. ......... A lot of guys never get the chance. For me to get it, it's been unbelievable. The best feeling was when I called my parents. It was awesome."

Comments

[Dan in Philly]

Crash Davis lives.

[NEPP]

Stay classy, nick.

[MG]

From the last thread:

"Phils' record in Halladay/Lee starts:

2012: 3-9 in 12 GS

Lee/Hallday 2012: 3-4, 85 1/3 IP, 2.85 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 1.6 BB/9, 7.4 K/9

10 of 12 GS (83%) have been quality starts.

2011: 46-18 in 64 GS

Lee/Halladay 2011: 36-14, 466 1/3 IP, 2.37 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 1.5 BB/9, 8.8 K/9

51 of 64 GS (80%) have been quality starts.

Really all you need to know about this season for far for the Phils in a nutshell."

[Joe D]

Wait, so he WON'T be bagging my groceries this weekend?

[Bob]

He is going to fail

[MG]

IP/GS

2012 - 7.1
2011 - 7.3

[MG]

Good for Constanzo. I do love the random pic of him with an AB for 'Team Italy'

[Edmundo]

Joe D, that was good.

Kudos to Costanzo. He's already played more major league games than all of BL put together.

[GBrettFan]

I agree, MG.

And my personal feeling is that it's just wrong that Lee has a 2.17 ERA and 0 wins. 0.

[Joe D]

I'm not hating on the guy. Just a pick that really didn't work out for an organization that desperately needs to develop a 3rd baseman.

[gobaystars!]

Getting back to Hamilton briefly, I like when people call his drug problem "other issues". I'm going to start doing that too.
This weekend I was out of my mind on some other issues. I was at this party and they had some quality other issues.

[MG]

Phils catch a huge break this week with the schedule too.

No Wandy/Norris in the Astros' series. Instead Harrell (sucks) and Starter X on Tues (of course Starter X will probably be a guy the Phils haven't seen before and manage only 1-2 runs off of while he goes at least 6 IP).

No Dempster in the Cubs' series and they get Volstad.

Nice to see the Phils win 3 of 4 & get back to .500 before the Red Sox come into town this weekend.

[MG]

Meant 19-20 going into the Sox series.

[MG]

If you hear one more dumba$$ say the Phils are already automatic sellers just say this:

Mets.

Repeat 2x.

That is the team the Phils trail for the 2nd WC by 3.5 GB.

[Mikeys friends neighbors third cousin]

Ok who cares. If he ain't hitting piss missiles for us. I could care about as much as......... That's it NOThing

[awh, Founder - JRoll in the 6-hole Club]

JW, any way to remove the innapropriate first comment?

[awh, Founder - JRoll in the 6-hole Club]

MG, why worry about the Red Sox?

Their pitching may be just the prescription Phillies' hitters need. :)

[RK]

Brown hasn't been in any pig line up since May 7. I suppose this is supposed to improve him.

[Fatalotti]

awh, I can envision a Phillies/Red Sox game in which Lester and Hamels battle for 7 innings, and leave with the score tied 1-1. I can then imagine the game going into the 10th with the scored tied 8-8, given the state of both of those bullpens.

[NEPP]

***Brown hasn't been in any pig line up since May 7. I suppose this is supposed to improve him.***

He's battling a hamstring injury. He came back for that game on the 7th and wasn't ready apparently.

[Joe D]

Are we in the business of looking ahead to a Boston series when this team barely won a series with the Padres?

[MG]

awh - Pitching, No. Hitting, Yes. Although it will help a lot to get Ortiz bat out of their lineup.

Funny how there were a lot of rumors about Ortiz being a major juicer when the truth came out about Manny.

Since then though, Ortiz's prolific production the last few years including the start of this year have kind of quieted those a bit.

[PhillyRhetoric]

Happy for Costanzo and family.

RE: Hamels--last week *someone* leaks that Phils and Jays in talks about moving him this summer.

Various national pundits have him definitely leaving as a FA.

Eskin reports that he wants 7 years.

The status quo or a sign that talks are heating up with Phils? Thoughts?

[Willard Preacher]

"The status quo or a sign that talks are heating up with Phils? Thoughts?"

We should get crack investigative journalist Michael Schwimer on the story...

[Bedrosian's Beard]

A sign that people need something to talk/write about.

Eskin's the last guy I go to for Phillies news.

The fact the Phillies aren't talking to Hamels means nothing to me, since they probably know what the years/numbers are.

[Who but wb]

One game at a time. Don't have the business to be looking ahead at anyone. Unless it is dates for chase or Howard return.

[Scotch Man]

Missing in the Brown hamstring news is that Amaro clubbed him Tonya Harding style to slow down his development.

[AL]

Boston is terrible this year and will be even worse without Ortiz to DH in Philly. They should win 5 of the next 7, but I would settle for just better baseball.

[Joe D]

Boston is terrible this year and will be even worse without Ortiz to DH in Philly. They should win 5 of the next 7, but I would settle for just better baseball.

Posted by: AL

There's no debating that Boston is terrible but this team SHOULD have swept the Padres too.

[Willard Preacher]

Serious question, are we expecting some sort of news/timeline on rehab games (you know, where they actually face other baseball players, usually of a lesser talent level) for Howard and/or Utley this week? They've been toiling in FLA, doing "baseball related activities" for a little bit now.

[Joe D]

I don't know if we will hear anything about rehab for Utley but I expect that they will announce timetables on Howard soon.

[AL]

Joe D: Agree, I just don't understand the hand wringing over the Red Sox coming to town, and to be honest I may just be misinterpreting some posts over the last few days.

I am sure the national story lines this weekend will be two old teams not playing to their potential. I am much happier if I am a Phillies fan than a Red Sox fan however.

[Iceman]

I still think the smarter thing for Hamels financially would be to sign a 5-year deal this offseason with the hopes of still being in his prime and commanding another 5 year deal at the end of that contract. That's 10 years and probably top-dollar value for a #1 starter.

But he's going to do what he wants to do. I doubt the Phils will give him 7 years. But Eskin is hardly the most reliable guy in the world, so who knows.

[Fatalotti]

The Red Sox and Phillies are basically the same team thus far, just swap starting pitchings strength with offensive strength.

Sox:

15-19
188 runs scored
186 runs allowed
Pyth W/L: 17-17

Phils:

16-19
133 runs scored
138 runs allowed
Pyth W/L: 17-18

If there's "no doubt" that the Red Sox suck, I'd claim there'd be equally miniscule doubt of the Phillies shortcomings.

Personally, I think both teams are better than they've shown, but I also think both teams have huge holes (Red Sox starting pitching and bullpen; Phillies offense and bullpen).

[JB]

Good for Mike, glad he is not like his brother George who exhibits a number of negative character traits, among them stinginess, selfishness, dishonesty, insecurity, and neurosis. Many of these traits stem from a dysfunctional childhood with his squabbling parents Frank and Estelle.

[Dan in Philly]

The Phillies biggest weakness has been the bullpen, which is also the easiest and cheapest to improve, and the one which fluctuates the wildest anyway due to small sample size. If the offense doesn't improve at all but the bullpen improves to even average levels, the Phils will be at least a .500 team. Without Utley and/or Howard it's hard to see them getting much better than that, but you never know.

[JB]

Mike does attribute the advice from his bro George to do the complete opposite of what his instincts tell him to do in getting an opportunity in The Show.

If baseball does not work out he would rule out Marine Biologist and hand model for future career endeavors.

[Fatalotti]

The Phillies have easily been the worst bullpen in the majors:

ERA: 5.23 (30th)
xFIP: 4.53 (29th)
K/9: 7.19 (26th)
BB/9: 4.25 (23rd)
LOB%: 64.7% (29th)
GB%: 37.6% (29th)
fWAR: -0.3

[Fatalotti]

Phillies bullpen WAR is 29th in the majors, which is astonishing, consdiering they've pitched the second fewest innings in baseball. Remember that WAR is a counting stat.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

He designed the addition to the Guggenheim.

[not awh and his ridiculous names]

Fatalotti..Rick Reuschel approves your WAR message

[Iceman]

When I said the Phils had the worst bullpen in the majors I was pretty roundly admonished.

Then they blew a few more games and put things in perspective.

[awh, Founder - JRoll in the 6-hole Club]

Wow, just saw that Eliezer Alfonzo just had his 100 game bana dropped.

He was apparently appealing the suspension on the same procedural grounds that Braun's suspension was overturned, and MLB dropped the case.

Can of worms = open.

[Joe D]

Just let them use roids. Who cares.

[SLO Phan]

awh - That's probably why MLB just fired the arbitrator.

[Who but wb]

Howard progressing well. Just have to strengthen calf. Chase well that's a diff story. He's busy sitting on bench with feet on fence spitting seeds and saying it will be soon.

[Scotch Man]

Until I hear anything, I'm assuming Utley doesn't play at all this season.

[Joe D]

Until I see anything, I'm assuming Utley doesn't play at all for the rest of his life.

Posted by: Scotch Man

That's what I'm thinking.

[George Costanza]

The sea was angry that day my friends, like an old man trying to return soup at a deli!

[NEPP]

***He was apparently appealing the suspension on the same procedural grounds that Braun's suspension was overturned, and MLB dropped the case.***

I would guess that MLB and MLBPA end up renegotiating that part of the CBA in the very near future...before they become a complete and utter joke.

[Willard Preacher]

Rollins SS
Pierre LF
Vic CF
Pence RF
Ruiz C
Polly 3B
Mayberry 1B
Galvis 2B
Blanton P

[Willard Preacher]

Wonder when we'll have our first Fontenot sighting?

[NEPP]

That's one hell of a lineup.

[awh, Founder - JRoll in the 6-hole Club]

"Until I hear anything, I'm assuming Utley doesn't play at all this season."

ScotchMan, I'm on record as having posted the same thing last year. Utley surprised us.

I hope he does so again.

[awh, Founder - JRoll in the 6-hole Club]

The lineup:

I know Polly's on a little hot streak, and maybe charlie hopes that he gets on base and Mayberry catches one, but other than that, I see very little reason to bat Mayberry below Polly in the order.

[Bob]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a short lived Utley comeback later in the season, but I doubt it will go far or accomplish much. Such a shame, still my favorite Phillie of all time.

[kuvasz]

Which Springfield, Delco or Montco? I was graduated from high school at the latter

[curt]

"I see very little reason to bat Mayberry below Polly in the order"

Veteran status, obviously. Just be grateful Polly isn't #5.

[awh, Founder - JRoll in the 6-hole Club]

Game chat's up!

[Ray Ban Aviator]

I love how she makes me feel, like anything's possible, or like life is worth it. - 500 Days of Summer

[BPFlyers]

Maybe Dom Brown could take some lessons from Mike Costanzo! Classy kid!

[Monster LadyGaga]

Monster LadyGaga