Hello Buntamaniacs! It's been forever since my last post. I think my last piece was about Cliff Lee to give you a time frame. So..Let's jump right in.

WE GOT HARPER!...WE GOT HARPER!  Could this off season have gone any better? Segura, McCuthchen, Realmuto and the $330 Million Dollar Man. Wow! If you predicted that kind of talent coming here your friends would sit you down for an intervention. And could Bryce Harper be any cooler? He has really embraced this city. So much for "He wants to play on the West coast", "He wants to stay in DC", "He wants to opt out after 3 years". So glad all that rumor mill was nonsense. He is here for 13 years, let's enjoy! 

As someone who has suffered some pretty lean years down at Citizens Bank Park, I can say the bandwagon is filling up. The ballpark has been electric so far. Lines, lines and more lines...And that's just for the Men's Room. Since CBP is the new hot spot again, the wife and I took my 8 year old son and 4 friends to Sunday's matinee vs the Twins. It was the Birthday Boy's request.

First things first, if an 8 year old gets away from you, saying "He's wearing a red Harper t-shirt" is not very helpful to the search party. Harper, Harper everywhere. I'd say 80% of all patrons are wearing a freshly printed Harper T or jersey. It is a sea of 3s. There is still a spattering of Howard, Utley and the occasional Werth but not like in years past. The future is here.

The staff at CBP needs some training. They may not be use to the volume of fans if they are new but they should know where the Sunblock stations are. I asked no less than 5 employees where a station was and they were either clueless or very vague. I even asked in the First Aid room, they looked at me like I asked them if going with Neris as our closer was a good idea. Weak sauce, get it together people.   

The beer selection may be off. I did not embibe as I had a bunch of kids to watch but it seems that the selection is down from years past. I need more research but that is for a future post.

The Yard! The perfect spot to corral 6 kids and not worry too much. Our group was pretty good, we got to see 6 innings from our seats. They got itchy so we were at The Yard later in the game. It was cool to see the reaction of 100 kids when Hoskins hit that go ahead Home Run. The wiffle ball field went nuts! Seeing them jump up and down, going crazy as they saw it on the big screen made our day. Also, a public service announcement...Attention helicopter parents, you DO NOT need to be on the field with your kids as they shag wiffle balls. Kids only! Cut the cord already!  

Lastly, my personal pet peeve. Wearing jeans on a sun soaked day is gross. Yesterday was borderline but let's break out the shorts from June on.

RING DAT BELL!!! BELIEVE THE HYPE!!! LET'S GO PHILLIES!!!

Keep It Classy, Philly!

DB29

View From the Left Coast by a Lefty: Expectations


Wow, been a long time since I could barely wait for Opening Day. Anybody who says they don't have expectations this year is full of it. This is the best lineup the Phils have fielded in nearly a decade. I was beginning to think there might not be a chance for another World Series in my lifetime if there was another 25 year wait. But Mr. Klentak came through with a giant assist from Monty, his wife, and their plane.



This lineup is stacked with the perfect aquisitions. I honestly think the key pickup was Realmuto because it helped sign Harper big time. Doesn't hurt that he is arguably the best catcher in baseball. The trade for Segura was also key because it rid the team of Santana and Crawford, adding a proven all star and allowing Hoskins to return to 1B. McCutchen was also a great pickup that leads to lineup flexibility. But the real key is the last 3 hitters. It's time for Odubel to get smart and mature and really show his talent. He can be a top 10 hitter. If Cesar cuts down his strikeouts he too can be an all star. However Franco has the chance to cement everything. It's time he realizes if he cuts down his swing he can be as dangerous as Hoskins and use the entire field. If he reverts back to swigning out of his helmet then Klentak will be looking for a third baseman by the end of June.

The bench has the potential to be great. As long as Kapler doesn't try to be Tony Larussa and average 2 double switches a game it is more than adequate. That said, somebody *PLEASE* burn that damn notebook. Side note: Knapp takes the next step... he is ready.

With all of this it's still pitching that will decide the season. This rotation is markedly better than the one the WS champs had. Nola is Nola. If Arrieta comes even close to his Cy Young form he'll earn his money. Pivetta, Eflin, and Eickhoff are ready for the next step. A fast start is necessary to install confidence in the kids who are really due to step up. With Robertson and Seranthony Closing should not be an issue. The rest of the pen is solid(on paper) and should be one of the tops in baseball. That said, the biggest question mark is Velasquez. What do you do with him? He folds with runners on base and a high pitch count gets even higher. Do you make him a reliever? Do you pull an Ankeil and make him an outfielder? He is a great athlete and was a stud hitter in high school. Who knows with him?

All in all this all leads to one thing... EXPECTATIONS. Mine are so high I even may be able to see comebacks here by Kornhole, DGirl, and maybe even DB29. Nah, never gonna happen. I do expect at least 1 or 2 Wriz Wednesdays this year because baseball is back and in the air. The Bank will be a lot more crowded and louder(hopefully) than previous years. Philly demands a winner. I demand a winner. And just maybe this team can deliver.  #BelieveTheHype #LetsGetBunted


                         Bill S/aka netfather

Night Before Opening Day 2019

‘Twas the night before Opening Day, when all through the park

Not a creature was stirring, not even a lark;

The bats were all hung by the helmets with care,

In hopes that the Phillies soon would be there;

The fans were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of a parade danced in their heads;

Mom in her Hoskins jersey, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long Spring nap,

When out on the field there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to Citizen’s Bank I flew like a flash,

Tore up 476 and almost near crashed.

Phillies Bunts staff was blogging; we’re the best in the biz!

With Joe S and Frapples and CJ and Wriz

Bryce Harper’s a Phillie, the consummate pro

Unlike Manny and Trout, he knew where to go

When, my wondering eyes saw the mound and the bases

With our young core, plus some new faces

Along with Bryce, there’s Realmuto, Segura and Cutch

With Franco & Hoskins are lineup’s straight clutch

More rapid than the Eagles Gabe’s courses they came,

And he whistled, and shouted and, called them by name,

“Now, Nola! Now, Eickhoff! Nick Pivetta too!

On Vinnie and Jake to round out the crew

From the dugout! To the top of the wall!

They dashed away! Dashed away! Dashed away all!

As dirt kicked up before the wild hurricanes fly.

Scotty is back while Quinn’s in Lehigh

Kruky and T*Mac were calling the game,

‘Boy we miss Harry’; Oh! What a shame,

Franco is back, for now anyway

We open this season at home verse the Braves

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Aaron was set and took to the mound.

He was dressed in a throwback, from his head to his foot,

And the strength of his arm could throw a shot put;

The Mets overrated; the ‘Gnats playoff is slop;

The Marlins are played out like the Braves tomahawk.

Three up and three down as JT made the calls!

Two strike-outs, a pop-out, and only one ball!

Gabe is all tanned with his teeth pearly white

And the plug will be pulled on clubhouse FortNite

Robertson signed, the bullpen is stacked

Herrera, Hernandez and Williams are back!

The rebuild is over, no longer in trouble

NL East Champs? We’re right on the bubble

We’re young and we’re talented and don’t forget Bolder,

The phuture is now standing shoulder to shoulder

Believe the Hype! Bunts got shirts just to prove it

If you’re not on the ‘wagon then step-off and move it

They laughed at the Eagles, the Sixers & process

Now it’s our turn to show them we’re bosses!

But tonight we’re in first, like the rest of the teams

And all we can do is have positive dreams

Can’t wait til tomorrow; a beer I’ll be squeezin,

“Good Luck Philadelphia, and to the fans a great season.”

The Night Before Opening Day

NO NEED TO BE SCARED THIS SEASON!

‘Twas the night before Opening Day, when all through the park

Not a creature was stirring, not even a lark;

The bats were all hung by the helmets with care,

In hopes that the Phillies soon would be there;

The fans were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of a parade danced in their heads;

Mom in her Hoskins jersey, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long Spring nap,

When out on the field there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to Citizen’s Bank I flew like a flash,

Tore up 476 and almost near crashed.

Phillies Bunts staff was blogging cuz yo! that’s our biz

With Joe S. and Hood and CEO Wriz

Joe reporting on Facebook, Wriz is on twitter

We put Phillies Nation right in the toilet

When, my wondering eyes saw the mound and the bases

With our young core, plus some new faces

Gabe Kap’s our new skipper he’s tan and all shredded

And we picked up an ace in one Jake Arrieta

More rapid than the Eagles his courses they came,

And he whistled, and shouted and, called them by name,

“Now, Nola! Now, Eickhoff! Nick Pivetta too!

On Vinnie and Ben to round out the crew

From the dugout! To the top of the wall!

They dashed away! Dashed away! Dashed away all!

As dirt kicked up before the wild hurricanes fly.

Now that Scotty got paid, Quinn’s back at Lehigh

Kruky and T*Mac were calling the game,

‘Boy we miss Harry’; Oh! What a shame,

Franco is back, for now anyway

We open this season away at the Braves

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Aaron was set and took to the mound.

He was dressed in a throwback, from his head to his foot,

And the strength of his arm could throw a shot put;

The Mets overrated; the ‘Gnats playoff is slop;

The Marlins are played out like the Braves tomahawk.

Three up and three down as Jorge made calls!

Two strike-outs, a pop-out, and only one ball!

Carlos is here to offer Rhys some protection

Gabe’s got coconut oil to grease his sore shoulder

Neshak re-signed, the bullpen is stacked

Herrera, Altherr and Williams are back!

The rebuild is over, no longer in trouble

The 2^nd Wild Card? We’re right on the bubble

We’re young and we’re talented and don’t forget Bold,

The phuture is now cuz we’re no longer old

Hungry dogs run faster just ask Jason Kelce

We will be ready once our pitchers get healthy

They laughed at the Eagles, the Sixers & process

Now it’s our turn to show them we’re bosses!

But tonight we’re in first, like the rest of the teams

And all we can do is have positive dreams

Can’t wait til tomorrow; dress warm cuz it’s freezing,

“Good Luck Philadelphia, and to the fans a great season.”

View From the Left Coast by a Lefty: Done and Done

    View From the Left Coast by a Lefty:  Done and Done

                I know to many this season can't possibly be over yet. But guess what, it's been six months already and the Eagles are on the verge of a really good month which wasn't really expected. To even more(like me) it's only 4 days until the NHL season begins(go Flyers mofos). Since the beginning of the season so much shit has changed I don't know if it's possible to even cover it in one sitting but I'll try like hell.

Thankfully this season the front office finally embraced the term rebuild. For my mind it took them way too long to start bringing up the kids, but bring them up they did. And also finally they realized Pete was not the answer at manager. Better late than never as the saying goes. So now, Mr. Klentak, the pressure is all squarely directly on you. The second half of this season shows that with a bit of tweaking next year can be *VERY* interesting.

I'll start with manager... go wild with possibilities but to my mind Dusty Wathan at age 44 could be perfect. NO Wriz, he is not Sandberg reincarnated. He has proved he can win with kids at AA and AAA, especially this year. That the Pigs made the playoffs losing their best 6 players is a tribute, besides the fact he is the all time leader in wins in Fighten Phils history. Then go to the coaching staff. If the Phillies don't keep Bowa I may have to root for the Dbacks permanently. McClure is so so, along with Samuel and Morandini. Matt Stairs is the best hitting coach in a long stretch. You can tell he cares. Since the bullpen has come along I'm on board with Rick Kranitz. I think this year is Chooch's last as a player and can't imagine anyone better to make Alfaro into a top tier catcher. If there is any way possible they need to add Utley as a coach somehow, some way next year too.

And now the fun begins... what will the roster be like? Say buh-bye to Kim, Nava, Fien, Perkins,

Blanco and Stassi and probably more. As much as I like Ty Kelly as a person he basically sucks too. Piece by piece we can go this way:

Starters: Nola

2-5 : wide open. What do you think of the Henderson Alvarez project? To me it's intriguing. Rest of the kids play out in spring training.

Pen: big improvement over the season. Love Morgan and Milner. Garcia and Neris need to quit jerking the ball to the LH batter's box. Neris needs to relax.

Catcher: Alfaro is the man, especially if Chooch can make him a real back stop and cure his laziness behind the plate. Gimme Knapp as backup. Will miss Rupp the man and dugout leader. I still love him but this is no time to look back.

Outfield: Altherr, O'Double, and Williams left to right. No need for a FA bat, save the $$$$ for pitching. Bench can be mix and match.

Infield: here is where the fun really is and the shit will fly. I make no bones, I love Galvis. If he doesn't win a gold glove this year a hit needs to be taken out on the voters. That being said he and Hernandez should be given a chance to play 1000 games together like Rollins and Utley.. Hernandez is the best leadoff hitter they've had in years. That being said I'm considering what several people have said during this last month of the season. I am not giving up on Franco. If someone, *ANYONE*, can get through to him to adapt like Adrian Beltre did he'll be the third baseman for years. Don't forget he's only 24. As Schmidt said when he was 24 he was just beginning to figure things out. Then going into the corners... 1B is Hoskins nuff said. 3B dayam... Crawford has shown he's every bit as good at third.. That brings a whole new argument. He's only 22 and for my money can hit better than Franco except for power.

Super utility guy: Pedro Florimon. His health could determine both infield and outfield moves.

X-factors: here we go. Crawford could open at SS next year, with Kingery at 2B. Kingery is ready for the big time.

Trade pieces: this is the whole ball of wax. Phillies could be looking at trading Joseph, Crawford, Galvis, Hernandez, Kingery, Franco, Rupp, Knapp, and who knows what else. Remember this is entirely my opinion even though it is a shitload better than most of the Phillies' writers. For that matter if they had listened to me 4 years ago Howard might still be a force. Yeah well, I'm a legend in my own mind anyway.

There you have it, 2017 summed up At this moment it's 4-3 Mutts in the 7th(make that 4-4). To Jay Wriz, Pres and CEO, if this piece doesn't land on the blog consider it my last you lazy bitch lol. CJ, how the hell do you put up with him? DB29 is nothing but you? Til next year(maybe)...

                                    Bill S aka/netfather

View from the Left Coast by a Lefty: Checkin' In

View from the Left Coast by a Lefty:  Checkin' In

I intended to write this a week ago at least. Laziness and weird happenings have pushed it off until now. I originally predicted 77 wins this year, with an uptick in possible excitement. After 2 weeks or so the anticipation has drained a bit with lack of execution covering the entire field and roster.

A few statements of fact. Pitching is mostly sub-par both starting and the pen. Overall I think McClure is falling down badly. There is no difference between him and Dubee any more. I'm wondering if this is a reflection of Pete Mackanin and if so, there is an indication of why Pete has not been extended yet. I am a Dusty Wathan fan and as early as it is in the season, it's not too early to wonder especially if the Pigs do well just what may be in the not so distant future.

SO... with that in mind some observations...

When Bill talks Klentak listens

INFIELD

Hernandez - great leadoff hitter, good hitter period. a possible perennial all star.

Joseph - my pick to really come through this year. so far a tad behind my expectations but has room to grow exponentionally.

Galvis - gold glover, was robbed last year. love his less exaggerated stance from both sides, will eventually become a steady .270+ hitter.

Franco - still wild at the plate. needs more discipline and to learn to go up the middle and to right more. not losing his helmet on swings so much but long way to go.

Subs - Blanco is a first class utility man, Stassi if given playing time could be a gold glover at first.

CATCHER

Rupp - top shelf catcher, keeps getting better.

Knapp - good choice for backup, and versatile. calls pretty good game.

OUTFIELD

Kendrick - excellent acquisition, professional. Lost nothing in swap for Ruf and Sweeney.

Odubey - biggest enigma on the team. also possibly the biggest potential still. good extension.

Saunders - a letdown so far. he also has upside I was counting on from Stairs but looking like the 2nd half of last year so far.

Nava - seems to be having a renaissance of his early Boston career. no qualms with him. needs more AB's.

Altherr - good upside and athletic but looks like shit at the plate. expect so much more from him, maybe cut down his swing a tad?

PITCHING

This is what will make the Phillies go or drown.

Highlights: Hellickson is a professional. Period. Nola looks to be coming back to his early showing a couple years ago. Eickhoff still keeping up string of quality starts but getting no support... no surprise. Phils only 3 errors all come during his appearances.

Lowlights: Velasquez has no command. Needs a real pitching coach up his ass to be effective. Bucholtz just sucks, bad signing. Being hurt could help bring back Eflin who I think can finally be a major league pitcher.

Pen: overall poor. in top 5 for worst ERA in at least the NL if not all of baseball. Gnats have a worse ERA but hit in the clutch to bail them out. Gomez has completely fallen apart since the birth of his child. who knows if that affects him but he sucks now. Benoit is a professional. Ramos and Neshek are holding their own.

I don't know what else to say. Is there potential? Yes. One good thing is this team seems to have chemistry, even with the new pieces. Another is they don't quit. They have come back big a half dozen times at least so far. To counter balance that, Phils are 0-5 when leading after 7 innings. Draw your own conclusions all around.

Last note, I now do not think they'll win more than 73 games tops. That's it, Ft Pitt. Please Phillies prove me wrong.

                                                Bill S aka/netfather

.500 OR BUST

‘Twas the night before Opening Day, when all through the park

Not a creature was stirring, not even a lark;

The bats were all hung by the helmets with care,

In hopes that the Phillies soon would be there;

The fans were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of a parade danced in their heads;

Mom in her Franco jersey, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long Spring nap,

When out on the field there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to Citizen’s Bank I flew like a flash,

Tore up 476 and almost near crashed.

Phillies Bunts staff was blogging like there was no tomorrow

With a new outfield to get rid of our sorrow

When, my wondering eyes saw the mound and the bases

With our young core plus some new faces

Mackanin is back, another year on the scene

With a patch on his sleeve, RIP Dallas Green

More rapid than the Eagles his courses they came,

And he whistled, and shouted and, called them by name,

“Now, Nola! Now, Eickhoff! And Hellickson too!

On Vinnie and Clay how well will you do?

From the dugout! To the top of the wall!

They dashed away! Dashed away! Dashed away all!

As dirt kicked up before the wild hurricanes fly.

Herrera got paid, the rest expendable guys.

Kruky and T*Mac were calling the game,

‘Boy we miss Harry’; Oh! What a shame,

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Jeremy was set and took to the mound.

He was dressed in a throwback, from his head to his foot, 

And the strength of his arm could throw a shot put;

The Mets overrated; the ‘Gnats playoff is slop;

The Marlins are played out like the Braves tomahawk.

Three up and three down as Rupp made the calls!

Two strike-outs, a pop-out, and only one ball!

We got Franco protection thanks to one Howie Kendrick

Who blasts balls out the park like a busted appendix

Michael Saunders has joined us, he’s good for twenty

And speaking of homeruns, Tommy Joseph is money

We might not be kings of Major League Baseball,

But soon we’ll contend, just need to wait y’all

Trust the process and attend all our mixers

At least we are not the 76’ers.

Our pharm team is juiced with stars of tomorrow,

From Crawford to Moniak and Jorge Alfaro

Made a bet with Wriz, he owes me a case

We’ll strive for .500 and maybe 3rd place

But tonight we’re in first, like the rest of the teams

And all we can do is have positive dreams

Can’t wait til tomorrow; dress warm cuz it’s freezing,

“Good Luck Philadelphia, and to the fans a great season.”