I’ve been asked a few times why I haven’t written anything
for the blog (at least twice I swear.) The answer is quite simple. I got burned
out. I won’t put out garbage work. And I’m not getting paid or trying to
impress a teacher so if it’s not fun it’s not worth it. But not only on the
blog but also on the Phillies. They had gotten close last year. Close enough to
send out playoff invoices and then they got manhandled by the Astros…who has a triple
A line-up. Swept! And poof went their chances.
Even pitchers and catchers and Grapefruit action didn’t get
me feeling up to writing. People dissecting every pitch of Spring Training like
it was game 7, really who cares? You know who had the best record this spring? Kansas City followed by Seattle Toronto
But alas, The next pitch is for reals and the Wriz has the
old familiar feeling so lets hop to it. I’m not sold on the Phillies are a
playoff team but they are in the mix but to return to the dominate team they
once were seems unlikely as too much would need to go right. The most important things for the Phillies
are health, Dom Brown, Kyle Kendrick and Ben Revere in that order.
If one less guy got hurt last year they would have made the
playoffs. Or if one more did and that guy was Chad Qualls they would have been
there too. But basically every starting IF must play at least 130 games. And
the rotation must basically remain intact which is a longshot given Doc’s predicament.
It would have been nice to have Aaron Cook as insurance but the $100,000 bonus
he would have made if he was assigned to the minors nixed that idea. Fucking
cheapskates.
Dom Brown had a phenomenal spring, but if you have to take
Spring pitching stats with a grain of salt then so too with hitting stats.
Maybe the best thing that happened to Dom was Delmon Young not being ready for
the start of the season. That ensured Brown, at the very least, a platoon job.
But the Darrin Ruf had more boots in the outfield than an Uggs factory and
Brown moved up to full fledged starter. I’ve been drooling over the guy since
he first came to town, but the Phillies handled him so so badly. What I liked
the most from him this spring wasn’t his production but his confidence and his acceptance
that’s he’s a big leaguer. Is it too much to ask that he goes .290 25HR 85 RBI?
I don’t. In fact, the RBI total could be
higher depending on when he settles into the line-up.
KK. Kendrick was 9-4 with a 2.87 ERA in the second half.
Numbers like that over a full season will get you CY Young votes. Do I expect
that from KK? No, but 15-16 wins and a low 3 ERA would be nice. Last season, KK
was either really good or god awful. Lets hope the god awful KK pitched his
last game yesterday.
Ben Revere. He’s got a youthful exuberance and seems a tad
immature, but fuck it I like what hes all about and that’s getting on base and
causing havoc. Let him take all the selfies he wants if he can up his on base
percentage.
I’m looking forward to see that the boys can do now that
their not the top dogs anymore. I’m pegging them for 84 wins and just missing
the playoffs, but if Halladay can find a way to compete its on!
Other things I’m looking forward to:
-CJ Hood’s song parody of the Beasties Paul Revere called
Ben Revere
-Cole Hamels making fools look stupid on his way to a
monster season-Darrin Ruf’s first cleanly fielded ball in the OF
-Bunts Meet & Greet 3—June 2nd in the Linc Lot—Don’t say you didn’t know
-Netfather making his flight this time
-The Big Piece’s return to form
-Delmon Young’s blow up
Things I’m not looking forward to:
-3rd place
-Being playoff-less again-DB29’s suspension appeal hearing AKA
-See Doc look like the Walking Dead when its hot
-finding out the dirty secrets Amaro has hid all offseason
I’ll post my awards predictions early next week. Once I
figure out who’s on what team. I kid. Does Hubie Brooks still play?
See ya at the Ballpark!
Jay Wrizight
jaywrizight@yahoo.com
i did it like this; i did it like that; i did with a whiffle ball bat...
ReplyDeleteHad to rub it in dinncha?? Bizatch.
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