Sunday chat: Phils seek split, waiver trade thoughts

Kyle Kendrick tries to build on Tuesday's seven-inning shutout effort in the Philiies' season series finale against Randy Wolf and the comparably matched Brewers. First pitch is 2:10 from Miller Park. 

Notes: With the Aug. 31 waiver trade deadline looming, also marking the date in which a player must be added to teams' rosters in order to qualify for the postseason, it's worth keeping an eye on several Phillies, including one who is starting in left field today. Ty Wigginton gets his first taste of left field and bats fifth in Charlie Manuel's lineup. Left field is actually nothing new to Wigginton, who made 16 starts at the position last season for Colorado and has appeared 75 times, overall, in the outfield over his 11 year career. Wigginton has almost certainly cleared waivers already and could be attractive to teams in need of bench or corner infield help. The Yankees were mentioned as a possibility before the July 31 deadline.

In addition, Placido Polanco, who went 1-for-4 in his third rehab game with Class A Clearwater on Saturday and could be activated Monday, also reportedly drew interest before landing on the disabled list with lower back inflamation. Polanco's glove keeps him top of mind for teams needing a true third baseman, but Manuel, himself, has suggested that Polly couldn't shoulder a full-time load anymore. Kevin Frandsen has also played well in his absence.

Then there's Juan Pierre, who continues to play well in limited chances. Ken Rosenthal's sources suggested that Pierre has not been placed through waivers and would likely get claimed given the relatively small amount left on his contract. However, the Phils could always pull him back in order to receive value for the outfielder. Rosenthal listed the Giants as obvious candidates who would be a fit for Pierre. The Reds were linked to him most in the days leading up to the non-waiver deadline.

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Comments

[Scott]

For anyone who missed it, and had thought that we'd be wise to pursue Melky:

http://aol.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2012-08-19/melky-cabrera-fake-website-ped-suspension-testosterone-giants

[Scott]

While I know it isn't wise for Kendrick to put men on base, I really hope he plunks Braun today, or at least puts him in the dirt.

[DH Phils]

Rollins, Frandsen, Mayberry, Howard, Wigginton, Brown, Martinez, Schneider, Kendrick

That is one ugly lineup. Maybe the worst non-Astros lineup in baseball this year.

[MG]

Gets my nod for worst Phils' lineup during a regular season game the past decade:

(OPS+)
SS JRoll (88)
3B Frandsen (96)
CF Mayberry (77)
1B Howard (106)
LF Wigginton (80)
RF Brown (67)
3B Mini Mart (2)
C Schneider (71)

This includes Schneider's .400 OPS vs LHP the last 3 years (SSS).

As for Wigginton, he would help a softball team that is in the playoffs and needs a power bat. His numbers since:

May 1st: .208/.277/.344 with 8 HRs (238 PAs)
June 1st: .201/.248/.336 with 5 HRs (145 PAs)

PH: 4-20 (.200) with 1 XBH

[MG]

Brewers at -115 with this crazy lineup and KK on the mound? Yes please.

[DH Phils]

I wonder what it would take for UC to get fired? Would he have to bat Mini Mart cleanup the rest of the way? Start Wiggy at SS and have him leadoff? Dress up in Robin Roberts old uniform and drive around CBP's parking lot dragging the 1980 WS trophy around?

What's it gonna take, Rube?

Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, August 19, 2012 at 12:41 PM

He has to tell Amaro he's tired of all his "macho head games."

[ChollyM]

Schneider catching with a lefty pitching?

[DH Phils]

Apparently "day game after night game" comes before "lefty-righty" on the Charlie Manuel managerial flow-chart cheat-sheet.

[aksmith]

With a lineup this stacked, it's obvious that Charlie feels offense from the catching position is secondary.

[ChollyM]

Apparently

[Bob]

Gotta love it. Braun picks the Phillies series as the time to break out of a slump, and becomes a one man wrecking crew.

Incredible when one of these elite hitters get on a roll (Braun, Kemp, Pujols, even Utley of his prime, etc.) When you watch, you feel as if the pitcher has done a terrfic job simply keeping him in the park.

[GTown_Dave]

Charlie must be alternating "We're playing to win" days w/ "We're playing for '13" days. In case you've been away, today would count as the latter.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

I like Mayberry to go deep today. Hitting the ball well, of late, and a soft-tossing lefty on the mound.

I like Braun to go deep 3X, though.

[ChollyM]

I like Braun falling down the staris today breaking a leg. Just kidding of course.

[ramsey]

Look on this lineup, ye mighty, and despair!

[GTown_Dave]

"Braun Falls Down Stairs, Breaks Leg, Still Sets MLB Record With 4 Grand Slams Vs. Kendrick"

... & that'll just be the first 2.2 innings!

[ChollyM]

Thats a scary thought.

[ChollyM]

Holy crap. Jimmy bunting?

[ChollyM]

Why not give Ryan a day off today?

[fooman]

It's down right comical at this point.

[GTown_Dave]

Nice to see Wigginton brings the same lack of a skill set to LF as he does to 3B. What an entirely awful acquisition.

[ChollyM]

Yikes.

[ChollyM]

Thanks Nigel.

[wes covington's ghost]

Is Morgan available?

[GTown_Dave]

So why was this inning started before the roof was fully closed & the field tended to? Everything Selig touches turns to crap.

[ChollyM]

Bad luck for KK.

[GTown_Dave]

I will say, this is a great example of the wonders of baseball. No matter how awful the year you always see something you've never seen before.

[ChollyM]

Drill Braun in the ribs. Claim a wet ball.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Following on teh computer - what happened?

[ChollyM]

And naturally Braun thought it was a ball. The Commisioner will get involved after the game. Umpire discipline to follow.

[GTown_Dave]

Hugh: Rain Delay. In a park w/ a retractable roof. I guess Wisconsin hasn't managed to construct a weather radar out of cheese & brat yet.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Ha. Thanks, GTDave.

[donc]

Thats a joke right? Rain delay in a domed stadium? That has to be a joke. Right? Right?

[Jack]

Kyle Kendrick striking out a red-hot Ryan Braun is one of the more unusual occurrences in this unusual season.

[donc]

What should we expect from the house of Selig. The guy's a multi, multi millionaire yet has dandruff on his glasses and his clothes always looks like they were made out of draperies. What an utter buffoon.

[ChollyM]

Wigginton looks slower then Ryan.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Braun with 3 Ks and 4 HRs on the series.
.500/ .571 / 1.500 triple slash. Artificially reduced by a bad bounce and a baserunning blunder.

[curt]

lol

[ChollyM]

??? What did I just see?

[GTown_Dave]

Statistically speaking, Randy Wolf has a solid claim to being the worst starting pitcher in the National League.

I think surrendering a HR to Martinez pretty much sews it up.

[Jack]

Mini-Mart just assured his place on the 2013 roster.

[Bob]

Mini Mart? WTF?

[MG]

After the win last night which placed the Phils 10th in MLB standings, Amaro implemented 'Operation: Save Our Future' which means the Phils lose just enough games that the Phils get a protected 1st round pick in the Top 10 of the draft.

Details of this Operation includes:

- Keeping Worley/KK in the rotation
- Limiting playing time of Pierre/Kratz
- Mayberry to face as much RHP pitching as possible, Brown to face as much LHP as possible
- More Mini Mart, More Wigginton
- No more multiple inning outings for Papelbon this year

[donc]

A rain delay in a dome and a Minitwat homerun in the same game? I'm headed for the bunker boys. Hope I have enough jerky.

[ChollyM]

There is another unusual occurance Jack.

[curt]

Cholly often stacks his better hitters at the bottom of the lineup. This is not one of those days, however.

[GTown_Dave]

Gelb: "Alex White, Jared Burton, Chad Qualls, Mike Pelfrey and Randy Wolf: The pitchers who have allowed home runs to Mike Martinez."

[MG]

Mini Mart home run?! When are the frogs or locusts scheduled?

[MG]

Dave - 'I'll take 'Pitchers that Suck' Alex for $200'

[Mike Martinez]

I'm locked in, bitches.

[ChollyM]

Is it possible that Mini Mart hits more homeruns then Ryan this year?

[MG]

Burton is the only one among that group that has been a solid pitcher the last 2 years.

Wonder if pitchers who allow a home run to MiniMart are secretly branded with a 'MM' symbol to designate as a badge of shame that instantly identifies them to other fellow MLB pitchers and fans.

[GBrettFan]

I find it hilarious that there was a rain delay in a park with a roof.

[GTown_Dave]

ChollyM: What would be pitiful is if Martinez winds up w/ more HR than Brown.

MG: They should receive a lifetime ban for disgracing the game.

[ChollyM]

OK. WE best back off Martinez,lest we be labled trolls or racist.

[curt]

Frandsen may have been minor league filler a few weeks ago, but he's now hitting a cool hundred points higher than anyone else in the lineup.

[ChollyM]

Amazing stat curt.

[ChollyM]

Take one downtown Dom Brown.

[ChollyM]

Good job Dom.

[GTown_Dave]

Well, he's no Michael Martinez, but at least Dom managed to get on base.

[GBrettFan]

A double that can score a slow Howard & Wiggy - pretty nice, Dominic!

[Jack]

MG: Nice bet, buddy.

[bullit]

major domo !!

[ChollyM]

I was just gonna say,Wiggy scored from first. Wow

[GBrettFan]

Why, indeed, is Martinez still at 1B?

[ChollyM]

Was That on Brown or Samuel?

[GTown_Dave]

Another hit for Useless. Wolf is doing this just to ruin the Phillies' chances in 2013.

[Jack]

Dom looked like he has a bum leg there. I mean, that was really slow.

[Iceman]

I hope MG loses his life savings today.

Nothing is more utterly pointless than MG posting about his now daily gambling addiction.

[GTown_Dave]

Nationals in a Rain Delay. Of course that's acceptable because their ballpark doesn't have, you know, A ROOF.

[curt]

Mayberry's OBP is .273. That's pretty remarkable. At this pace he could be leading off next year.

[ChollyM]

Walk Braun.

[Iceman]

Jack- thought the same thing. The doofus in the booth thought he was loafing, but he looked positively Howard-like going around third.

Of course, if he's hurt at this point, do you think they'd really bench him? I don't.

[ChollyM]

I didn't think Dom looked like he was running right in the outfield the last couple days.

[GTown_Dave]

Wolf's option for '13 is $10 million, w/ a $1.5 million buyout. Hard to imagine Milwaukee not going the latter route.

[stocky vance]

saw where brad mills an staff fired

s/have the gm canned.. mills just fielded what he had to work with...provied by gm

[stocky vance]

sorry about the typo(s)

YAY DOMO and his glove

[GBrettFan]

Is these kinds of outings examples of KK pitching to his potential, or are they flukes? I'm never sure. I'd like him a lot better if I thought we could count on quality starts from him.

[GBrettFan]

Ooh, bad English. ARE these kinds of outings, that should be. Love when I edit but forget to edit key parts of the sentence.

[Jack]

Stocky: Yeah, the GM is completely rebuilding the organization to try and field a competitive team after the last group (cough, Ed Wade) left them with the most barren franchise in baseball.

But sure, let him go because after six months the team still stinks. That makes a lot of sense.

They said the same thing about Huntington in Pittsburgh, when his rebuilding took a little bit of time. Now he has the team contending with young players and more prospects on the way. It's like people have no idea what building a good team requires.

[GBrettFan]

Brad Mills apparently said he had nothing but respect for his players for the way they approached the games. I hope he enjoys watching his son play ball now that he's got free time.

I hope for the Astros' fans' sake, the organization dedicates itself to becoming competitive in the AL West. Still think they shouldn't have been moved.

[Jack]

And I would've waited to fire the manager until after the season. I'm not sure what the point is of firing him now.

But still, the GM is trying to completely rebuild a horrible organization. Needs to be given time, and the ability to put his own people in place. The idea that he is to blame for the crappy product on the field right now for e Astros is hilarious.

[ChollyM]

Who would you like to have seen move GBrett? Just curious.

[GTown_Dave]

J-Stroll now clinging to the .300 OBP mark only by the grace of the time-honored practice of rounding up.

.2996

Glad you're still here, Jimmy.

[norbertods]

Whilst looking at the box score for today's game I notice that:

A) Mini Mart (I was always partial to lesbian cab driver) hit a home run.
B) Dom hit a bases clearing double
C) Kendrick has pitched 5 scoreless innings.

I just wanted to make sure beerleaguer didn't spontaneously combust with this holy trinity of sh8t happening.

[ChollyM]

30 HR's for Ruf now.

[Jack]

How long until people start clamoring for Frandsen to be the 3B next season? Or did I miss this happening already?

[Jr.]

Reading boys at it again Asche,Ruf have gone yard. Need to call up Friend,tell him he is the 8th inning guy and see what happens for 2 weeks.

[GBrettFan]

ChollyM - Well, first of all, I didn't want to restructure the leagues in the first place. I do think it's fairer to have an equal number of teams in each division as there will be now, but I'm not interested in year-round interleague play and the fact that it will probably lead to a DH in the NL.

But I'd rather the Brewers had moved back to the AL, since they have a history there already and weren't moved to the NL until 1998.

The only problem would be having a Midwestern town in the Western division.

It seemed to me that MLB strong-armed the Astros, making their sale contingent upon moving to the AL.

[ChollyM]

Good answer GBrett. I am also against year round interleague play. I also detest the DH rule.

[GBrettFan]

Nice play.

Can't believe KK's pitched 7 scoreless again. Nice job by him.

[GTown_Dave]

I think the Phillies must run into an out at home plate at least 85% of the time they have a runner on 3B & go on contact. I friggin' HATE that play. Makes no sense for a team which can't drive the ball w/ any manner of regularity.

[ChollyM]

And now Schneider comes through. I'm so confused.

[GBrettFan]

Sometimes players you expect little of surprise you in a good way.

[Luis]

i was about to say the Phill's would get a lead off double and a single and somehow strand all the runners....eat my words...

[GBrettFan]

GTown, it feels like a high percentage to me, too. Combine that with the number of times we've stranded runners on 3B this season, and 3B doesn't seem to give us as high of odds of scoring as one would think.

[Luis]

*ate

[ChollyM]

Jimmy is on an 0-17 run.

[fooman]

Did I see the replays wrong? I think Lucroys glove hits the dirt and doesn't tag Nix. I am probably wrong. Watching the Phils puts me in a semi coma.

[curt]

I daresay the odds that Brown-MM-Schneider would knock in 7 runs in one game is considerably less than 1 in 162.