Philadelphia Phillies: Is 1979 Repeating Itself in 2012?

The Phillies were coming off three consecutive NL East titles in 1979 and three very disappointing NLCS playoff losses.  They shocked the baseball world by signing Pete Rose to play first base and acquired second basemen Manny Trillo in a trade with the Chicago Cubs.  Not only did they look to be primed for another playoff run, they looked even better than they did in the previous three seasons.

However, after sprinting out of the gate to a 27-16 start, injuries to Greg Luzinski, Manny Trillo, Larry Christenson and Larry Bowa saw them go into a tailspin that dropped their record to 65-67 and as a result, they were buried behind the Pittsburgh Pirates and Montreal Expos.  They were able to right the ship toward the end of the season, winning 13 of their last 20, but it was too little too late, and the Phils finished the 1979 season 84-78 and in fourth place.

When spring training came around in 1980, it was widely known that the nucleus of Mike Schmidt, Bob Boone and Bake McBride, as well as Bowa and Luzinski, could be broken up if they did not win now.  We all know what happened in 1980, as the Phillies won their first-ever World Series championship.

In essence, the team needed to take a step back before it could move forward again.

That brings us to 2012.  The team is coming off two extremely disappointing playoff exits and a World Series defeat in 2009.  Injuries have decimated the team, losing significant amounts of time from stars Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Roy Halladay.  Many others have spent time on the shelf as the season slowly and painfully slips away.

The pessimistic Phillies fan can see this as a possible “beginning of the end” of arguably the best run in Philadelphia Phillies history.  The core has aged and the minor league system doesn’t have capable reinforcements to turn this thing around.  The optimist can point to 1979.  The team needs to be humbled and take a step back to taste failure to bring the hunger back.

2013 should have enough talent to make another run if the team remains healthy.  That’s the key when dealing with an old team.  Halladay will be 36 while Lee will turn 34.  Carlos Ruiz, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley will be 34. Howard will be 33. 

It’s possible Cole Hamels and Shane Victorino will be gone, while Placido Polanco will definitely be gone. There is a ton of uncertainty but at the same time, the ’80 season started the same way. 

Phils GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has his work cut out for him between the 2012 trading deadline and 2013 spring training.  Can he get younger by dealing Cole Hamels and Shane Victorino at the trade deadline?  The ’80 squad was energized with young talent like Lonnie Smith, Keith Moreland, Bob Walk and Marty Bystrom.

Does Amaro have what it takes to make this team relevant again? A lot will be riding on him to make 2012 look like 1979…and 2013 to look like 1980.

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MLB Trade Rumors: Philadelphia Phillies Must Keep Cole Hamels

The 2012 season has been nothing but disastrous for the Phillies thus far. The Phillies have played exactly half of their schedule and it hasn’t been pretty. They currently reside in last place of the NL East with a record of 36-45.

Ryan Howard has still not played a game for the Phillies as he and Roy Halladay currently remain on the disabled list. For the Phillies to make the postseason, they will likely need to win 88-plus games. If they finish the season 52-29, they will hit exactly 88 wins on the season.

Many fans have given up on the Phillies this season suggesting that they should start auctioning off their biggest asset: Cole Hamels.

This would be a massive mistake for the Phillies. It’s perplexing why they haven’t already given Hamels the huge extension that he deserves. The southpaw is 28 years old and might be the best left-handed pitcher in the game.

He also won the Phillies a World Series in 2008. Homegrown talent is supposed to be taken care of, and yet, Jon Heyman reports the Phillies are supposedly shopping their only superstar in the prime of his career. 

The idea makes little sense. This is an aging ball club that got old really, really fast. The Phillies entire infield is over 30 years old. Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay are both in their thirties, too.

Hamels is going to be seeking a huge pay day, but it’s well deserved. He has been one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball for several years. He is young and left-handed, a coveted combination in baseball.

If the Phillies organization has truly decided that this team is too old to win, the last thing they should be doing is trading Cole Hamels. A more intelligent move would be trying to trade Lee so they could free up more money for Hamels.

A much smarter idea would be to build around Hamels, who has a lot of baseball left in that left arm.

Unfortunately, this Phillies team is sinking fast. They are currently on life support and the return of Howard and Halladay will likely be too little too late.

The Phillies ultimately need to get younger and there will be changes made. Hamels should be re-signed, but I think the Phillies would have done it already if they were going to. It’s unfortunate because he never received the love from Phillies fans that he deserved.

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Ranking the 25 Most Infamous Moments of the Phillies-Mets Rivalry

Baseball is a sport marked by some of its great rivalries, but few have been as intense as the on-again, off-again battle between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets since the 1960s.

It is a rivalry that has involved great players across generations. From Jim Bunning and Tom Seaver, to Darren Daulton and Doc Gooden, to Jimmy Rollins and Jose Reyes.

The rivalry has cooled off a bit and changed over the last several decades, but the fact remains that these are two teams with a pure dislike for each other, and it is easy to forge a rivalry in that manner.

So as the Phillies and Mets battle for another division title in 2012, what better time is there to take a look at what made this rivalry one of baseball’s all-time greats?

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Philadelphia Phillies: 4 In-House Names to Replace Kyle Kendrick in the Rotation

It has always been known that, when you go somewhere, it is not polite to “overstay your welcome.” Well, unfortunately for the Philadelphia Phillies, pitcher Kyle Kendrick does not seem like the courteous type.

It should be obvious to all fans, media and anyone else that Kendrick has overstayed his welcome in Philadelphia. It is time for the team to cut their losses and move forward with a new pitcher to anchor the rotation.

In the past few years, Kendrick has been given chance after chance to stick with the big league club. He has been used as a spot starter and long reliever in the bullpen with some success, but when it comes to cracking the starting staff, KK just can’t seem to put it together.

That’s not to say he’s been completely useless with the Phillies. He has had good seasons in the past, including a stellar rookie campaign in 2007 which helped push the Phils into the playoffs. Kendrick went 10-4, winning 13 of his 18 starts. In the postseason, he was the No. 2 pitcher on the roster.

Ever since then, however, Kendrick has been up and down. He has been to the minors and back more times than one should care to count, and has never been particularly effective.

In all his years though, he has not been as bad as he has in 2012.

Kendrick’s season, as has been his career, is marked with incredible inconsistency. He is 2-8 on the season with 52 strikeouts and a 5.35 ERA. The 2012 season also saw him throw his first ever complete game shutout.

With as many issues as the Phillies have had with their starting staff this year, they need to supplant someone in the fifth spot that can give them consistency and a chance to win—something Kendrick has not done in recent starts.

If they hope to make the playoffs, they need to seek pitching help from someone else, perhaps an arm in the minor leagues.

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Philadelphia Phillies Rumored to Be Shopping Shane Victorino and Cole Hamels

CBS Sports is now reporting that the Philadelphia Phillies are looking at the possibility of trading Cole Hamels. Fox Sports is also speculating that Shane Victorino may be in the same boat. Both are in the final year of their respective contracts.

Losers of five straight and now 11 games behind the first-place Washington Nationals, the Phillies’ chances of a sixth straight NL East championship appear to be fading fast. The Phils are now nine games under .500 and a dismal 17-24 at home.

Decimated by injuries that have hit them from every angle (Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley), Philadelphia has yet to find its stride. 

The return of second baseman Chase Utley this past week, along with the fact that slugger Ryan Howard began his rehab assignment, left room for optimism as the Phillies headed into the last 10 games before the All-Star break. 

But now, having lost all five games since Utley’s return combined with the fact that the timetable for Halladay’s return is uncertain, may be what has them looking to the future and becoming the league’s first admitted “sellers.”

The Phillies have been the East’s dominant force for the last five years, winning each of the last five division titles, earning a trip to two consecutive World Series (2008 and 2009) and winning their first World Championship in 2008.

This year, however, the injury situation combined with a very young and impressive Nationals club and a surprisingly good first half from the New York Mets has left the Phillies reeling. 

While many believe that there is enough veteran talent there to get back in the race, their window of opportunity is ticking away fast. If the reports are true, the NL East may be in the midst of a very competitive race for a new king. And the Phillies could be dusting off the old drawing board.

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Cole Hamels and Shane Victorino for Josh Hamilton? Why It Would Work

Cole Hamels, Shane Victorino and Josh Hamilton are all in the final year of their respective contracts. The Phillies need someone who can drive in runs; the Rangers don’t really need much, but another pitcher could finally give them a World Series ring.  Why not make a deal?

The immediate reaction I’m expecting is, “why would the Rangers ever trade Josh Hamilton?” but think about it.  That lineup is loaded even without Hamilton.  Take him out and you still have Mike Napoli, Michael Young, Ian Kinsler, Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltre, Nelson Cruz and David Murphy.  Plus, this trade would send Shane Victorino to Texas to replace Hamilton.  

Add Cole Hamels, and the Rangers have perhaps the best rotation in baseball.  Hamels, Colby Lewis, Matt Harrison, Yu Darvish and Roy Oswalt would be the starters and the team could move Derek Holland and Neftali Feliz to the bullpen to join Joe Nathan, Mike Adams, Alexi Ogando and Koji Uehara—forming what could be the best relief corps in the league.  

That is a World Series team if I’ve ever seen one.

The Phillies would get a middle of the order guy who can single-handedly solve their run production problems.  Putting Hamilton in center field would give the Phillies a lineup of Juan Pierre, Chase Utley, Josh Hamilton, Ryan Howard, Hunter Pence, Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco and Carlos Ruiz.

A lineup like that would enable the Phillies to find their way back into contention.

Even without Hamels, a rotation of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Vance Worley, Joe Blanton and Kyle Kendrick would keep this team in most ballgames.  With a little extra run support, these pitchers can finally start putting up better numbers in the win column.

The Phillies have the second highest payroll in baseball, and the Rangers have the sixth highest.  This trade would allow the Phillies to give Hamilton a long-term contract while the Rangers could sign Hamels and find a replacement for Victorino in the offseason.  

The Rangers are unlikely to give up their superstar player before the season ends, but this deal could make them a better team.

Will this happen?  No.  Would it benefit both sides if it did?  Yes.

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MLB Trade Rumors: Phillies Reportedly Shopping Cole Hamels

The day that Philadelphia Phillies fans have been dreading all season long is upon them: The team has begun shopping All-Star pitcher Cole Hamels.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports was the bearer of bad news on his Baseball Insider blog:

The Phillies dropped a bomb on the trade market when they recently began making calls to see about trade interest in Cole Hamels, CBSSports.com has learned.

Hamels is a free agent after the year, and a source with knowledge of his contractual situation, said there has been no progress made in contract talks.

The Phillies are struggling through an injury-riddled first half. They traded Jim Thome on Saturday to the Orioles, but the Phillies suggested that didn’t mark the beginning of the selloff.

Oh, the horror!

Of course, nothing is set in stone at this point. But with Hamels set to become a free agent after this season and no contract extension in place, it was always a possibility that the team—with one of the biggest payrolls in baseball—would look to deal the lefty ace.

And Hamels’ contract expectations probably became more expensive after Matt Cain signed his whopping six-year, $127.5 million contract extension with the San Francisco Giants.

Hamels is having another excellent season for the Phillies, currently 10-4 with 111 strikeouts, a 3.08 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. In a year full of disappointment, Hamels—alongside catcher Carlos Ruiz—has been a bright spot.

He’s also become one of baseball’s elite left-handed pitchers in the past three years, and he’ll long be a hero in Philadelphia after winning the NLCS and World Series MVP awards in the Phillies’ 2008 championship season.

It’s possible that the Phillies are simply doing due diligence and testing the market to see if a team will absolutely blow them away with a deal. But the possibility that Hamels will depart Philadelphia is now very real.

 

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets want Dwight Howard to just get traded already too.

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Philadelphia Phillies Should Consider Trading Cliff Lee

This season has been extremely frustrating for the Phillies and their fans.  The team that has won five straight National League East titles now sits in last place in the division and continues to find new ways to lose games.  

The Phillies are 28th in the league in runners left in scoring position per game.  Not only can the team not drive in runs, but their pitching staff hasn’t been as dominant as expected.  

Roy Halladay is on the DL, but even before that he was struggling.  Cliff Lee is still winless and has struggled to locate his pitches.  The man who used to go games without walking a batter now has put too many runners on base and then has allowed them to score.

The bullpen has been horrendous, ranking 25th in the league in bullpen ERA.  The team finally designated Chad Qualls for assignment, but he isn’t the only problem in that pen.  

In order to put together this team, general manager, Ruben Amaro, Jr., traded away the team’s future.  The team is getting older and doesn’t appear to have many players in the farm system who are anywhere near ready to come up and make an impact.  

It’s time to sell in Philadelphia.

Shane Victorino should be the first to go.  Victorino is a solid defensive center fielder, but he is a terrible baserunner and isn’t worth keeping for his hitting.

After dealing Victorino, the Phillies need to seriously consider trading either Cliff Lee or Roy Halladay.  By getting rid of one of these guys, they will be able to re-sign Cole Hamels after this season.

Roy Halladay’s injury and age could prevent teams from pursuing him, but you have to think that Cliff Lee is still a coveted player.  The only problem is, do the Phillies have the heart to trade the guy who turned down more money to play for them?

Let’s say the Phillies decide to trade Lee. Where could he go?  

Well, look at potential playoff teams that need pitching.  Let’s start in the American League.  The Yankees have pitching troubles as it is, but now CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte are injured.  Lee turned down the Yankees before signing with the Phillies, but he would greatly improve that team.  In return, the Phillies could receive outfield prospect, Mason Williams, and third base prospect, Dante Bichette, Jr.  

The Red Sox are another team that could use Lee’s services.  The Sox have the offense to make the playoffs, but they’re at least a pitcher away from being serious contenders.  In return, the Phillies could get outfield prospects, Bryce Brentz and Jackie Bradley.

The Detroit Tigers have a World Series-caliber offense as well, but a pitcher like Lee would give them a dangerous pitching staff.  Verlander and Lee would create an incredible one-two punch.  And how about third base prospect, Nick Castellanos, coming back to Philly along with another prospect?

In the National League, Cliff Lee would make the Reds the team to beat.  Cincinnati has a great offense, and if they added Lee, a rotation of Lee, Cueto and Latos in the postseason would be brutal for opposing offenses.  Pitching prospect, Robert Stephenson, and outfield prospect, Ryan LaMarre, would be great pieces for the Phillies to get in return.

It’s time for the Phillies to start preparing for the future, and it starts by being able to re-sign Hamels.  If the team trades Victorino and Lee, they’ll get pieces in return that will allow Philadelphia to have a playoff-caliber team sooner rather than later. 

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Philadelphia Phillies: More Thoughts on Cliff Lee

In summary…I was roasted.  Readers told me I was a buffoon, ignorant, idiotic and stupid.

And I agree.  My column, “Phillies Fans Should Be Fed Up With Cliff Lee,” was a little harsh and unfair.  Maybe more so to Phillies fans than Lee, but still unfair. Phillies fans have always known when they should or shouldn’t be fed up with a player. 

They’ve booed Schmidt and Bowa, Daulton and Hollins, Howard and Hamels.  They don’t need a buffoon like me to tell them they should be fed up with someone.  I imagine though, the small minority who understood what I was saying now agrees with my initial assessment and have reached the point of being fed up.  Those who blasted me are at least seeing a very microscopic truth to my points.

With that being said, the signing of Lee is not looking good.  It will look even worse if signing Lee means that Cole Hamels’ future is anywhere else but Philadelphia.  One more odd twist, if Lee doesn’t turn around his disastrous ’12 season, the Phillies will not see the postseason, which means Hamels will more likely be dealt before the trade deadline.

For $21 million this season, the Phillies have received an 0-5 record with a 4.13 ERA from Lee.  Has he had some bad luck?  Sure!  Has he received consistent run support?  Absolutely not!  But a guy like Barry Zito has six wins with a better ERA playing for a suspect offense.  The Padres’ Clayton Richard has five wins for the Padres. Both Zito and Richard have better ERAs than Lee as well.

Lee led the majors in shutouts in 2011.  Obviously with zero wins he doesn’t have one this season.  However, Kyle Kendrick and the Astros‘ Lucas Harrell have one.  Former Phillie Kevin Millwood has one in the AL.  Even Ervin Santana, Philip Humber, Luke Hochever and Clay Buchholz have shutouts and carry ERAs over five! 

What’s the point?  A pitcher being paid like Lee—and the caliber of Lee—should take the ball and shove it down the other team’s throat from time to time, like he did with the Phillies in 2009, with the Rangers in 2010 and last year.  Where is that this season?

I’m sure some Lee apologists will put together some fancy videos attempting to prove it’s not Lee’s fault and that’s fine….do what you gotta do to feel better about the guy who snubbed the Yankees and Rangers to come back to Philly.  Sabermetrics’ guys let me hear you again.  I heard you the first time and accept your passion and rationale.

Me?  I’ll be wearing my dunce cap, sitting in the corner and hoping Lee turns things around so the Phils can overcome this 10-game deficit.  If he doesn’t and Hamels is pitching somewhere else in 2013, I personally will be fed up. Justifiably so.

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The Philadelphia Phillies’ 25-Man All-Time, All-Fan-Favorite Roster

Succeeding as a player of the Philadelphia Phillies isn’t all that difficult. Some people may think it is. They’ll point towards the rowdy fans and incredible expectations to win every season as reasons why playing in Philly could be difficult, but it’s really not.

The players know what they have to do to succeed here. They have to play the game hard night in and night out. They have to put the team before themselves. Winning always helps the cause, but as long as you prove to the fans that winning is the ultimate goal, they’ll love you forever. (Okay, nothing is forever, but definitely for a long time.)

Succeeding in Philadelphia looks like a challenge, but it’s not that hard. If you do all of the things listed above, you’ll be a fan-favorite in no time, and I assure you, it is much easier to play in this city as a fan-favorite.

It just goes to show that winning isn’t everything. The Phillies were a bad team for a long time, but they managed to field some fan favorites regardless, and they all have that unique approach to the game in common.

Earlier this week, I posted a slideshow about the Phillies’ all-time, 25-man roster.It was chocked full of the franchise’s all-time greats, regardless of their status with the fans.

This one will be different. In this slideshow, statistics are irrelevant. It’s the opinion that matters. For each position, we’ll take a look at one of the Phillies’ all-time fan-favorites and see how that roster compares.

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