Comments on: First in war, first in peace, first in the National League and a distant second in a not-so-meaningful series with the Phils http://www.philliesflow.com/2012/08/27/first-in-war-first-in-peace-first-in-the-national-league-and-a-distant-second-in-a-not-so-meaningful-series-with-the-phils/ A fan's Philadelphia Phillies blog Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: egrissom http://www.philliesflow.com/2012/08/27/first-in-war-first-in-peace-first-in-the-national-league-and-a-distant-second-in-a-not-so-meaningful-series-with-the-phils/#comment-81609 egrissom Wed, 29 Aug 2012 15:23:11 +0000 http://www.philliesflow.com/?p=8622#comment-81609 Sadly, Kratz is not nearly this good. My guess that Ruiz will be back after 2013 on a short new contract. He’ll be 35 when the 2014 season starts, so I don’t think he’s going to find a team who gives him too many years. Kratz is old, too. I don’t think there’s much of a chance the Phillies go into any year with Kratz as the primary guy.

]]> By: Jim http://www.philliesflow.com/2012/08/27/first-in-war-first-in-peace-first-in-the-national-league-and-a-distant-second-in-a-not-so-meaningful-series-with-the-phils/#comment-81603 Jim Wed, 29 Aug 2012 12:56:15 +0000 http://www.philliesflow.com/?p=8622#comment-81603 It’s entirely possible Kratz is the stop-gap between Chooch and whichever of Valle and Joseph makes it to the bigs first. It’s hard to argue with his results so far.

I also think Chooch might get extended, maybe in the middle of next year.

]]> By: DaMannse http://www.philliesflow.com/2012/08/27/first-in-war-first-in-peace-first-in-the-national-league-and-a-distant-second-in-a-not-so-meaningful-series-with-the-phils/#comment-81591 DaMannse Wed, 29 Aug 2012 03:40:40 +0000 http://www.philliesflow.com/?p=8622#comment-81591 Sigh. Bullpen. Once more.

]]> By: DaMannse http://www.philliesflow.com/2012/08/27/first-in-war-first-in-peace-first-in-the-national-league-and-a-distant-second-in-a-not-so-meaningful-series-with-the-phils/#comment-81584 DaMannse Tue, 28 Aug 2012 21:16:11 +0000 http://www.philliesflow.com/?p=8622#comment-81584 It’s funny, you know? Chooch has been the low key guy on this team for so long, but as I think of it, he defines this team’s current incarnation to me more than any other player except nos. 26 & 6. And yes, I would miss him more than Jimmy.

Who knew? Man, will I miss him when he goes.

]]> By: egrissom http://www.philliesflow.com/2012/08/27/first-in-war-first-in-peace-first-in-the-national-league-and-a-distant-second-in-a-not-so-meaningful-series-with-the-phils/#comment-81582 egrissom Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:19:06 +0000 http://www.philliesflow.com/?p=8622#comment-81582 I think the Phillies have a $5 million option on Ruiz for 2013. After that who knows what will happen. I think Kratz is auditioning currently for a job as the backup in 2013. So far, so good.

With Schneider on the DL, we’re probably going to get a chance to see at least a few at-bats for Steven Lerud, who turns 28 in October and seemingly has little chance to help the team anytime soon. Sebastian Valle or Tommy Joseph look like the in-house options to replace Ruiz after he leaves. Let’s hope that won’t be for a while. Joseph just turned 21 and is hitting .213 so far at Reading. Valle turned 22 in July and hit Triple-A for the first time this year, where he is hitting .210.

]]> By: DaMannse http://www.philliesflow.com/2012/08/27/first-in-war-first-in-peace-first-in-the-national-league-and-a-distant-second-in-a-not-so-meaningful-series-with-the-phils/#comment-81579 DaMannse Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:07:56 +0000 http://www.philliesflow.com/?p=8622#comment-81579 Questions for y’all.

What’s the collective opinion on back up catcher for next year. I’m of a mind than we need to do better than Schneider has done offensively.

AND, Chooch’s contract is up at the end of next year, I think. Will they use next year to groom a replacement or will they sign Chooch?

]]> By: DaMannse http://www.philliesflow.com/2012/08/27/first-in-war-first-in-peace-first-in-the-national-league-and-a-distant-second-in-a-not-so-meaningful-series-with-the-phils/#comment-81576 DaMannse Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:34:27 +0000 http://www.philliesflow.com/?p=8622#comment-81576 Your last paragraph? Oh yeah. In addition to the O, everything you said.

]]> By: egrissom http://www.philliesflow.com/2012/08/27/first-in-war-first-in-peace-first-in-the-national-league-and-a-distant-second-in-a-not-so-meaningful-series-with-the-phils/#comment-81566 egrissom Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:37:10 +0000 http://www.philliesflow.com/?p=8622#comment-81566 I agree that this has been over for a while and positive signs for the future are what we should be looking for at this point.

The Phillies have been really good since the All-Star break (24-17) and really good since they traded Victorino and Pence (16-10). They need to get a whole lot better before the start of 2013 if they’re going to have a chance next year, though.

I think they need more help than just with the offense, though. The bullpen isn’t good enough and Kendrick has a 2.05 ERA in his last 13 appearances. That should go high on the list of things you shouldn’t count on for next year, along with Frandsen hitting .351 and Kratz slugging .646 (and Horst throwing to an 0.96 ERA).

]]> By: DaMannse http://www.philliesflow.com/2012/08/27/first-in-war-first-in-peace-first-in-the-national-league-and-a-distant-second-in-a-not-so-meaningful-series-with-the-phils/#comment-81540 DaMannse Mon, 27 Aug 2012 21:16:06 +0000 http://www.philliesflow.com/?p=8622#comment-81540 I kind of let go of this year at the break. I don’t need October for this to be a wonderful year because I believed coming out of spring training (as you no doubt remember) that there would be no post season. Positive signs for the future are what I need to see.

They signed Hamels, did the trades they needed to do to set up for next year, and are gradually getting healthy. Howard will not repeat his MVP year again, but he looks like he will be scary again to pitchers next year. Utley’s numbers are back up a bit. The starters are showing recovery too.

Since the trades they have become far more entertaining. They are catching the ball, making less stupid mistakes in the field and on the bases, and the bull pen is showing some signs of stability.

Much has to happen before April. MUCH. But for now at least, it has become fun going to the ballpark again. And I have to believe that they will get the two (minimum) bats for this lineup that they SHOULD have gotten for this year. Amaro cannot possibly be stupid enough to repeat this past off season’s failures.

I’m enjoying my team again. And there is once more hope for he future. That makes me happy. So, just wait till next year!

]]> By: egrissom http://www.philliesflow.com/2012/08/27/first-in-war-first-in-peace-first-in-the-national-league-and-a-distant-second-in-a-not-so-meaningful-series-with-the-phils/#comment-81532 egrissom Mon, 27 Aug 2012 16:05:48 +0000 http://www.philliesflow.com/?p=8622#comment-81532 I think it’s pretty close to impossible. Phils would have to go 24-10 in their remaining 34 to get to 85 wins. The current WC teams (or division leaders) would have to collapse and the three teams between the Phils and the current WC would have to be a lot worse than the Phillies. St Louis would have to go 15-20 in their remaining 35 to end up at 85. Atlanta 12-22 in their remaining 34.

Still love to see the Phillies finish 24-10, don’t get me wrong. But even if they finish really strong, they’re probably not going to be close to that good.

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