Tuesday: Phillies prevail 5-4 behind 'best in the game'

The Phillies improved to a season-high nine games over .500 (34-25) thanks to the herculean feats of MVP candidate Chase Utley.

Utley hit his Major League-leading 21st homer, which makes it five-straight games with a home run, the second time he’s done that this season. "He's swinging the bat as good as I’ve ever seen him and he’s doing it every night,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said after the game. The post-game love didn't stop there, as Geoff Jenkins referred to him as "the best in the game, hands down," while Reds skipper Dusty Baker called him "one of the best around." In all, Utley went 3-for-4 and was inches away from going 4-for-4 when a bunt down the line rolled foul. The second baseman also made two diving stabs in the field, including one to end the ballgame.

Besides the heroic efforts of Utley, the Phils have also been helped by the soft, trout-fed gut of Charlie Manuel, which has been as solid as a Greek god's lately. In his forth season at the helm, Manuel’s instincts have never been sharper. Last night, he lifted Kyle Kendrick after just 70 pitches, recognizing that Cincinnati was getting to him. Kendrick never fully recovered from Jay Bruce’s homer off a good pitch tailing away. The drive barely cleared the left-field fence in a night when the balls went flying.

Manuel has been making the right calls, but he finally has the kind of bullpen that can give him clean innings and keep him away from the crossfire. He turned it over to pen (Chad Durbin, Tom Gordon, Brad Lidge) in the sixth and they pitched 3 2-3 shutout frames. Lidge was as filthy as ever and notched his 14th save, lowering his ERA to 0.75. If he keeps this up, the Phillies have little choice but to resign him. Constructing a bullpen can be a crapshoot, but Pat Gillick and company have finally hit the nail on the head after three seasons of al-mesa-mentation.

Comments

[J. Weitzel]

From the previous thread, the last thing I read about Dobbs playing third is that he was nursing a sore back. T-Mac said last week that Manuel was getting closer to playing Dobbs more until he injured his back.

[THe Dude]

Take the Cubs & Rays records with a grain of salt. They have played over 10 more home games than road games. The cubs are an astounding 28-6 at home. There is no way they can keep up that pace.

[NEPhilliesPhan]

So...does anyone miss Michael Bourn and his .214 avg?

[NEPhilliesPhan]

So...does anyone miss Michael Bourn and his .214 avg?

In other news...Swindle got hammered last night in Lehigh giving up 2 ERs in 1 IP...his ERA is now a much less impressive 2.02

[Lake Fred]

Last year, the Phils didn't reach nine games above .500 until August 17th. Quicker is better.

[NEPhilliesPhan]

So yeah...I was thinking...who's the best 2B in MLB...is it Uggla or Utley...Hmmm

LO...What an idiot. Utley has the sweetest swing I've ever seen out of a hitter. I have no idea how he generates that much power with that swing but damn does he kill the ball.

[PB]

Manuel pulling Kendrick when he did might have just saved the game. He saw Kendrick getting behind hitters and having trouble keeping his sinker down.

[Dukes]

To me, Mike Schmidt was always the best everyday player the Phillies ever had. There was never any reason to question that. Last night made me think for the first time that we are watching someone who will have a career every bit as good as Schmidt, if not better. We had the best 3rd baseman ever to play the game and now we have the best second baseman ever to play the game. Prepare a space for a retired number 26 and the mold for another statue. Hopefully not for 15 more years!

[ts]

Swindle actually walked in a run yesterday, but also SO 2 in that inning. Would love to know exactly what happened.

[ts]

Swindle actually walked in a run yesterday, but also SO 2 in that inning. Would love to know exactly what happened.

[Matt]

I agree, this is the best Manuel has managed since he's been here, although when you have players that produce, it always makes the manager look a lot smarter. Pulling Kendrick was right, they were rocketing balls off of him all night. If you can criticize the bullpen, it's their inability to keep inherited runners from scoring, which hurt them again last night.

Where did you get that drawing of Utley, Jason?

[clout]

It's amazing how well this Durbin move worked out. Not only is he pitching well, but his steady presence means the other guys can stick to their appointed roles. The big problem last year, due to injuries and incompetence, was that guys were being shifted constantly into different roles, usually ones they were unqualified for.

[PB]

It's funny how Marty Biron is the second most popular athlete in his own home, behind Utley, as his son is a huge fan. What kid in Philadelphia (or any one of us)DOESN'T idolize Utley?

[ae]

Last night made me think for the first time that we are watching someone who will have a career every bit as good as Schmidt, if not better. We had the best 3rd baseman ever to play the game and now we have the best second baseman ever to play the game.

before his age 29 season, Mike Schmidt already had 190 home runs (with three NL HR titles), 552 RBI, 565 runs, 108 stolen bases, and 3 Gold Gloves. and he hadn't even peaked yet.

Utley is a fantastic player, but he's nowhere near what Schmidt was. (not to mention that he's got a ridiculously long way to go before he can be mentioned in the Morgan/Hornsby/Lajoie level of elite 2Bs.)

[J. Weitzel]

I had no idea Durbin would pitch this well, either, but I had a hunch he would be asked to fill a very important role. He's been the missing piece. There's simply no way you remove him from this role as long as he's wearing red pinestripes.

It's amazing that after using 28 pitchers last season, there's basically no room for anyone at this point.

[J. Weitzel]

ae: Agreed. Utley could certainly become the most "beloved" player because of how he plays. But having a career better than Schmidt will be difficult.

Picture is from an Allen and Ginter baseball card from 2006.

[Lake Fred]

Jason wrote: "It's amazing that after using 28 pitchers last season, there's basically no room for anyone at this point."

The five man starting rotation could be improved. There's room there.

I think Mad Dog and Condrey's room labels are written in chalk on a blackboard. There's room there. There's always room for Jello.

[J. Weitzel]

Fred: But it's doubtful they could improve the rotation using anyone internally right now. Who could they honestly say would give them a better chance at winning?

[Lake Fred]

The Schmidt - Utley comparison is interesting. Schmidt was a great fielder and home run hitter, but he struck out a lot (not like Ryan Howard) and his BA and RBI numbers were not like his homer production. He never seemed to connect with the fans. Utley may not ever win a HR title, but he does hit better and he does connect with the fans. It's really apples and oranges. Don't compare and choose, just enjoy.

[8thandPine]

Manuel's best move of the past week was having Jenkins pinch hit against Waechter instead of Dobbs. That "Gut" is killing it.

[Lake Fred]

Jason, you are correct. No internal improvement available for pitching, but, theoretically, that argument should be true for all teams; that their best players are already in the majors.

[Jack]

Skill-wise, Utley may be the best player we've had here since Schmidt- in fact, I think that's very, very likely. However, ae is right that it's unlikely Utley will ever have the career numbers Schmidt did because of his age. Utley is already 29; he didn't play his first full season until age 26. Schmidt already had 93 homers and a top 5 MVP finish by that point. Utley will have to be productive through his late 30's in order to put up some big career numbers.

Or he could just hit 70 homers this season, that would help too.

[denny b.]

"Swindle actually walked in a run yesterday, but also SO 2 in that inning. Would love to know exactly what happened."

I guess the guy is human. It was his first game all year, with more than 1 walk (of course, he had only walked 2 batters all year) and more than 1 ER (of course, he had only given up 2 ER total all year).

First bad outing in 20 appearances this year. I hope he doesn't get cut.

[clout]

Utley is much more beloved than Schmidt, who was cool and cerebral and a bit thin-skinned. But in terms of performance, Schmidt was the better player both on offense (147 OPS+ vs. 130 for Utley) and on defense. You could make a case that Schmidt is the greatest thirdbaseman in baseball history. You cannot make that case for Uts at second, great as he is.

Quickie Quiz: When is the last time a team had 3 different MVPs in 3 consecutive years? Hint: That team has done it twice.

[UD Hens]

The Schmidt-Utley comparison is an interesting one to explore.

Compare - A generation of kids idolized MJS (I was one of them) just like this generation of kids now idolize Chase. They both were/are among the best players of their day and you knew that they were/are going to do something every day to help the team win. Schmidt and now Utley have the ability to carry a team for long stretches of the season. Also, compare the success of the teams. I know it's early, but this team is starting to remind me of the teams from '76-'80.

Contrast - Fans would boo MJS for any mistake. I never understood this as a kid. He never got a break until later in his HOF career. On the other hand, I can't envision the fans booing Chase, at least not to the degree that Schmidt was booed. That has to do with their style of play - Schmidt was smooth/cool, always made baseball look easy. Chase plays with the intensity of a 10 year old kid after drinking a 6 pack of Jolt.

[bay_area_phan]

It's not that I don't want to upgrade the starting rotation; I've been screaming for it all year long. But, if they acquired Chris Young tomorrow, they'd have to make a decision about whose spot in the rotation he would take. After Eaton & Myers' strong recent outings, that would be a very tough decision -- and making the wrong decision could do enough harm to offset the benefit gained by acquiring Chris Young.

If Myers builds off his last performance & starts pitching better, and if Eaton keeps pitching as he has done in the last few outings, the reality is that there is probably no one on the trade market who would be an appreciable upgrade over what we have now. Personally, I'm skeptical that Myers will keep pitching well, and I believe the odds are about 75% that Eaton will revert to prior form, and I even have my doubts about Moyer. But that's just my speculation. If all these guys can keep up their recent good work, and if we can avoid injuries for the next 2 months, we may actually be in a position where a trade to acquire mediocre starting pitching would be pointless.

[Andy]

Swindle got hammered last night in Lehigh giving up 2 ERs in 1 IP...his ERA is now a much less impressive 2.02

Worthless!

[Andy]

I'd love to have another pitcher, besides Lidge, for whom giving up 2 ER in 1 IP is considered "getting hammered."

[FTL Phils Fan (John D)]

Hey guys, just a few observations from a Phils Phan in Phlorida...

1. Marlins mania has yet to take over down here. Is anyone shocked?

2. In my eyes, there isnt a comparison between Uggla and Utley. Don't get me wrong, Uggla is good. Really good. But Utley is playing super-human at this point. Heck, Uggla isnt even the best second basemen, in the NL East, with the last name beginning with a U.

3. Was looking over the standings today and notice an interesting stat. There are only three teams in the entire league with an above .500 win % at both home and away: The Cardinals, Angels, and your very own Fightins'. To me, it either means that the home-field advantage the Phils have is overblown, or that there is no CBP home field advantage. Would be interested in your guys thoughts on this.

[fljerry]

I see where Benson had a setback - but I was thinking prior to it, if Benson did make it to the team whose spot would he take over? Kendrick would be my choice, since hes supposed to be a groundball pitcher and yesterday he hardly threw any of those. But it would be a delemma and on any given day a pitcher would look bad and we would say let Benson take his place.

[EastFallowfield]

How has Durbin done with inherited runners? I'm sure Kendrick's ERA would have appreciated it if he had managed to strand one or two of them last night.

[BENTZ]

2004 - Away - 44-37; Home - 42-39

2005 - Away - 42-39; Home - 46-35

2006 - Away - 44-37; Home - 41-40

2007 - Away - 42-39; Home - 47-34

2008 - Away - 15-13; Home - 19-12

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Answer to trivia question: Yankees did it last with Maris, Mantle and Howard.

Don't forget Sandberg when you're discussing great 2Bs.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Maris, Mantle, Howard=Yankees

[UD Hens]

If the Phils aquire another starting pitcher, the choice of what to do with the rotation is easy. Let Eaton compete with Clay Condrey for the long relief spot.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Unless he's hurt, Myers is staying in the rotation. Eaton would be the first to go.

[stjoehawk]

"How has Durbin done with inherited runners? I'm sure Kendrick's ERA would have appreciated it if he had managed to strand one or two of them last night."

Looks like he's inherited 15 runners & 6 of them have scored.

[Dicke Thon]

Is anybody else having trouble watching last night's game on mlb.TV? first it was hard to see live (though i ended up just going to sleep - time zone) and now the archived copy seems to be broken.

[NEPhilliesPhan]

Andy: I'd love to have another pitcher, besides Lidge, for whom giving up 2 ER in 1 IP is considered "getting hammered."

Andy, my comment was tongue-in-cheek. I wasn't being very serious.

[AWH the RBP]

"Is someone stating that 2B is a more difficult position than 3B? I assume not, but I'm not sure. As far as importance, it's an insane argument. Try playing a game without any position player and see how it goes. (Today, playing RF, no one!)
As far as Feliz goes, if it wasn't for him, the Phils would be in 1st....Oh, never mind."
- JD

JD, you and your buddies in the Phillies PR dept are twisting the argument and engaging in diversionary tactics.

It also doesn't have to do with which defensive position is more important or more difficult.

The discussion/argument has simply been and is whether:

1) Feliz was the best 3B option available in the offseason, and
2) whether the Phillies would be a better team with Dobbs playing more against RHP?

I ask, would they be out of first place if Dobbs had gotten more starts at 3B, would they be exactly where they are, or would they have won a game or two more and have a bigger lead?

[bay_area_phan]

Here's NEP's list from yesterday of some of the starting pitchers who might be available at the trade deadline:

Randy Wolf
Chris Young
Jarrod Washburn
Miguel Batista
Nate Robertson
Vicente Padilla
Joe Blanton

Let's say Eaton keeps pitching decently, keeping his ERA under 5.00. Who on that list would be such a marked improvement, as to justify giving up a good prospect or two? Chris Young, I guess, but he's got injury issues, is a fly ball pitcher, & his home-away splits have always made me nervous. Same goes with Blanton. Padilla's current stats are certainly much better than Eaton's, but we've seen his act enough to know that, if he's pitching well now, it only means he's going to pitch crappy later on in the year. Plus, he's got a pretty rich contract for such an erratic pitcher.

I'm not saying the Phillies SHOULDN'T try to acquire one of these starters. I'm just saying that it's a fairly uninspiring bunch, with no sure things on the list. To this point, Eaton, Kendrick & Moyer have all given the Phillies about the same performance that anyone on that list could reasonably be expected to give them. Anyone here anxious to trade Jason Donald for an ever-so-slight upgrade (if an upgrade at all) in Randy Wolf?

Now, if Eaton reverts to 2007 form, or Myers' good game was just a one-game pause in an otherwise terrible season, that's a different story . . .

[NEPhilliesPhan]

Can we stop arguing about Feliz and simply bask in the glory that is Chase Utley?

I remember a couple of years back when Baseball Prospectus stated that Utley would likely have a career similar to Jeff Kent. At the time I was ecstatic but now I'm thinking he's gonna be better than Kent in the end to say the least. I hope he's still playing 2B at 40 like Kent too though.

[from the district]

I was also having a lot of trouble watching the game last night on mlb.tv. For most of the night, I couldn't access it on mosaic, and the alternate method gave me picture but no sound.

By the end of the evening, however, everything was working fine.

[NEPhilliesPhan]

I like Wolfy but HELL NO. His home/road split this year is atrocious....3.30's ERA at home/5.00+ ERA on the road. Wolfy is being hidden by PETCO so far.

[CJ]

If Chase Utley were really that good... he'd play 2nd AND 3rd every night.

[Sophist]

fljerry - Kendrick as the first out of the rotation? I hope you're joking. Kendrick has been solid all year, and much better than Eaton and Myers. Eaton should definitely be the first starter to miss their spot. In reality, the first starter to miss their spot will likely be due to injury, however, and not poor play.

------

Since April 11th (start of Phils v Cubs series won by Phils)

Phils: 30-19 (12-9 away)
Cubs: 31-18 (8-13 away)

------

This whole Feliz/Dobbs argument is being made way more complicated than it really is. Feliz defenders, no one is trying to discount what contributions Feliz has made or the quality of his defense (at least I'm not.) He rakes LHP - his OPS against lefties is the same as Dobbs' extraordinary OPS against RHP this year.

The point is just that guys like Myers and Hamels have well below league average G/F ratio, so when they pitch - and the Phils face a rightie - Dobbs should get the start (until he cools down, unless he's injured, &c..)

Hamels G/F ratio is .98 so far this year, for crying out loud. I actually like Feliz and the Feliz signing, but these pro-Feliz arguments are getting ridiculous (although I appreciate the balance.)

[JD]

AWH, you should actually read the posts. I wasn't making those fun but pointless arguments.

RE: I ask, would they be out of first place if Dobbs had gotten more starts at 3B, would they be exactly where they are, or would they have won a game or two more and have a bigger lead?

We will never know, will we? (And I have said many times here that I would be fine with Dobbs playing more. My only objection has been the over the top criticism of Feliz that started from the git-go)

Also, sorry if not nit-picking and complaining about a 1st place team that is 9 games over 500 bothers you. Of course there is always room for improvement, but some people don't know what to do with themselves if they have nothing to whine about. Relax and enjoy it (hard for Phils fans to do, I know)

[stjoehawk]

"If Chase Utley were really that good... he'd play 2nd AND 3rd every night."

The only reason he doesn't is because he realized it wouldn't be fair to other players if he started the All-Star game at two positions.

[OG]

Completely off topic, but I'd like to pose this question. If the Phils get in a benchclearing brawl this year while at bat, who are the first 3 Phils off the bench ready to go? I say Myers, Victorino are definites with the 3rd possibly Jenkins, Burrell or Howard. You know we'll get one this year against the Mets or Marlins.

[NEPhilliesPhan]

I think Burrell would be off the bench pretty quick...he's usually on the railing anyway.

[NEPhilliesPhan]

This just in: Chase Utley is leading the National League in All-Star votes...not just for 2B but for all players. He's currently leading the voting for 2B starter by more than a half-million votes of CHC 2B Mark Derosa.

[JD]

If there was a brawl, you would just have to send out The Manchine. He could take care of it all by himself.

[Cipper]

First off the bench for a brawl? Clearly Moyer, Cholly, and Lopes.

[stjoehawk]

"If there was a brawl, you would just have to send out The Manchine. He could take care of it all by himself."

Until the brawl was just about over. Then he gets replaced by So Taguchi.

[baxter]

At this point in his career, you couldn't call Utley the best 2B of all time...but by the end of his career, I'm not sure Mike Schmidt will have a better case for the title of best 3B of all time...

Who is the best 2B of all time? Joe Morgan? Eddie Collins? Rogers Hornsby? Ryne Sandberg? Jackie Robinson? Roberto Alomar?

Utley probably has more power than anyone on that list, while keeping his average over.300...He probably won't win any Gold Gloves, but his defense certainly isn't a liability. Again, its too early, but I don't think one can conclude that Schmidt was a better all around 3B than Utley is a 2B. Utley probably outperforms his positional avg more than Schmidt...

Within the next decade, Alex Rodriguez will be widely considered the best 3B of all time. Even though most still think of ARod as a shortstop, he'll probably play most of his career at 3B. Unless a revelation tarnishes ARod's legacy, Schmidt will probably lose his claim to the "All time best 3B" title by the end of Utley's career.

[Steve Jeltz]

Utley leading everyone in voting isn't a surprise; he was leading everyone last week.

The real new is Burrell moved up to #6 in the OF. Vote Manchine in '08!!!

[fljerry]

What I was bringing up - not acquiring another starter but speaking of Benson. What will we do if Benson is brought up? I know he got another arm (bicept) problem but I'm sure eventually he will be brought up or released.
If hes brought up who would we like to see not in starting lineup anymore.

[clout]

BedBeard & Hugh win the trivia contest!

Before those early 1960s Yankees there were 3 teams (in the late '30s and 1940s) that had 3 different MVPs in 3 consecutive years:

The 1938-40 Reds (Lombardi-Walters-McCormick), the 1941-43 Yankees (DiMaggio-Gordon-Chandler) and the 1942-44 Cardinals (Cooper-Musial-Marion).

[NEPhilliesPhan]

He shouldn't. ARod isn't a tenth the defensive 3B as Schmidty and you could even make the argument due to the difference in Eras that Schmidt was a better power guy than Arod.

[JD]

St. Joe..
Until the brawl was just about over. Then he gets replaced by So Taguchi.

Excellent !!

[clout]

baxter: "I don't think one can conclude that Schmidt was a better all around 3B than Utley is a 2B."

Actually, it would be impossible to conclude anything else. Schmidt had a higher OPS+ than Utley and was a better fielder by a wide distance. OPS+ is the single best measure of offense and takes into account the different eras. If Utley ever reaches Schmidt's OPS+ and Schmidt's level of defense, then you can begin debating whether he was as good at his position as Schmidt was at his.

[NEPhilliesPhan]

What will we do if Benson is brought up?

Well, we probably won't have to worry about that until at least July as he has been shelved again. I'm sure by then we'll have some injury issue or the problem will work itself out.

[Sophist]

fljerry - Eaton.

JD - you are anti-intellectual in your fanhood. It's like watching sports with my mom. We're all fans here. I just don't come here solely to Ra-Ra or boo, but to discuss the team constructively.

[clout]

baxter: Are you trying to lead the board in bizarre statements today?

"Within the next decade, Alex Rodriguez will be widely considered the best 3B of all time."

A-Rod is now in his 5th season as a thirdbaseman. After 10 (TEN) seasons as a SS.

I don't know what the next decade holds for a man who turns 33 next month but I am damn sure it's not this: "will be widely considered the best 3B of all time."

P.S. A-Rod's OPS+ is 147, same as Schmidt's.

[clout]

sophist: Are you questioning JD's fanhood?

[Al Mascitti]

Not sure A-Rod vs. Schmidt will be so clear-cut for A-Rod. Each has a career OPS+ of 147. Schmidt played more than 2200 games at 3B; A-Rod is in the 600s. Even 10 more years full-time at third won't get him to Schmidt's games-played total. And, should A-Rod stay with the Yankees, there's always the little matter of Jeter's already poor and steadily declining play at SS. Odds are that A-Rod would move back to SS rather than staying at 3B for the rest of his career.

[NEPhilliesPhan]

10 Gold Glove can't be wrong. The only legitimate argument against Schmidt is that of Brooks Robinson and Schmidt's power numbers more than compensate for the 6 more GGs that Robinson has.

[JD]

I would question how "constructive" some to the discussion is, but thanks for comparing me to your Mom.

[Sophist]

JD - My mom is a great fan. Flyers season ticket holder for ~10 years.

[CJ]

Okay... I've stayed out of this one long enough.

Michael Jack Schmidt is the greatest third baseman of all-time. And his nearest competitors aren't really that close.

NL-record 8 home run titles (2nd all-time to only Babe Ruth)
3 MVP Awards
10 gold gloves
12-time All Star
NL leader in OPS+ 6 times including a career high 199 (22 points higher than A-Rod's career best from last year)

Schmidt was so much better than everyone else that his closest competition is Eddie Matthews (who hit 512 HRs, but never won an MVP or a gold golve) and Brooks Robinson (who is the greatest fielder at the hot corner all time but who's career OPS is just 104).

I don't believe any other player in history has as much of a gap between himself and the 2nd best ever at his position. For Chase Utley to achieve that, he'd have to remain a 2nd baseman for the rest of his career and he'd have to continue to generate this kind of production. Joe Morgan put up a 132 OPS+ over 2649 games and won 2 MVPs and 5 Gold Gloves. Chase currently has a 130 OPS+ over 635 games and is seeking his first MVP and first Gold Glove.

[NEPhilliesPhan]

Thank you CJ...that about settles it.

[Morty]

Because no one has mentioned it, I'd like to compliment this bit of writing:

"...the Phils have also been helped by the soft, trout-fed gut of Charlie Manuel, which has been as solid as a Greek god's lately."

Hilariously vivid. When thinking of Uncle Chuck's gut, I always flash back to a photo from the post-division clinching celebration.

[RSB]

It's never been really clear-cut who the all-time best second baseman is...offensively, you'd have to go with Hornsby, but then you have guys like Morgan and Sandberg who were great all-around players. Suffice it to say that Utley has a good chance of being one of the best ever. He's the type of hitter that you wouldn't anticipate an early decline from.

The Florida fan made a good point about the Phillies having a winning record both at home and on the road. People can say what they want about CBP, but the Phillies don't use it as a crutch the way Colorado used to with Coors. The way they hold their own on the road really bodes well for this club. If I were a fan of one of these teams like Atlanta, Cincy, or the Cubs with the wild home/road splits, it would make me question the calibre of that team's mental toughness and ability to play in tougher environments as the season gets deeper.

David Murphy made a good point in his blog about Manuel feeling at liberty to lift Kendrick due to a confidence in his bullpen that did not exist at this time last season; he credits this chiefly for the victory last night. While generally the point is true, the only thing is that I remember Manuel yanking Kendrick at the drop of a hat in many of his starts last season. The difference is really the myriad of quality options that now exist. Manuel pulled Kendrick in the 6th and he didn't even have to use Romero.

[UD Hens]

First 3 out of the dugout/bullpen for a brawl - Myers, Romero, Werth

[clout]

RSB: The point about Uts is, as good as he is, if he wants to get into the group you're talking about, he's going to have to be a BETTER hitter than he is now and a much better fielder. Look at the stats of those 4 players.

[PB]

On a future brawl, Seanez is an ultimate fighter in his free time, from what I hear.

[NEPhilliesPhan]

Clout...on some of them you have to look at adjusted stats...Utley is still below all 4 but its much closer.

[philsphan]

Any chance Jon Garland or Derek Lowe will be available at the trade deadline? Both pitchers are free agents after this season but on teams still in contention. Lowe might be more available since the Dodgers probably won't want to re-sign him and have enough pitching depth. I think that he would be a good fit for the Phillies, if available, but I don't know what it would take to get him.

As for the bullpen, while I would love to see how Swindle would do but think the Phillies need to acquire a lefty with more ML experience. The three best available options are probably John Grabow (Pirates), Jamey Wright (Orioles), and Jimmy Gobble (Royals). Personally I think that Gobble would be the best fit since he would probably not cost as much in a trade as the other two and has the best splits against lefties, although Grabow has the best overall stats.

[EastFallowfield]

Judging from his dugout footage after beating the Mets last year, I think Dobbs would be another one to have a strong enough dislike for the competition to be out there quickly in a brawl.

Utley vs Schmidt:

Funny how different their relationship with the phans are at this stage considering neither of them is very demonstrative out on the field, which was supposedly why the phans didn't love Schmidt as much as they should have.

[baxter]

I guess I don't understand the OPS scaling process, but Schmidt's unadjusted numbers don't come close to A-Rod's. They aren't even necessarily better than Utley's, relative to the positions they play. Schmidt only topped .300 one in his 18 year career, while both A-Rod and Utley have career averages over .300...

...and I do think A-Rod will end up playing more games at 3B than SS, unless of course, he moves to another position. He started at age 18 and will probably play into his 40s. I don't think anyone would bet against ARod's end-of-career numbers being better than Schmidt's. ARod will pass Schmidt on the career HR list this year and his career BA is almost 50 points higher. If ARod is a 3B, he's better than Schmidt.

I guess I just have no clue about Schmidt because I never watched him play. I have no frame of reference for his era because I didn't watch baseball before 1989. I just assume A-Rod is probably among the best at his position, because he's among the best players of all time.

The biggest problem with Utley's career profile is that he didn't play everyday until age 26. Not many 2B can top Utley's 162 game average of 30hr and .302BA. You have to go back at least 80 years to find a 2B with offensive numbers that rival Utley's.

[baxter]

someone needs to say it: bring back Randy Wolf. Restore the wolfpack.

By most accounts, SD would love to trade him. Wolf probably wouldn't carry the price tag of Lowe or Garland, and all three have pretty similar numbers this year.

I keep hearing he's no longer the same pitcher, but Wolf's 2008 numbers are similar to those he put up in Philly. You know what you're getting with Wolf: he's a gutsy lefty, with a huge curve. He was always a good soldier and would fit right in...do it