Game chat: Right-handers tussle in second game

Anibal Sanchez (1-0, 3.18) and Kyle Kendrick (9-5, 4.59) have the ball when the Marlins and Phillies continue their division series tonight at 7 ET.

Notes: Kendrick is hoping for better results than the last time he faced Florida, a seven-run shelling back on July 19. … The offense will look to get it going after last night’s 8-2 loss. Eric Bruntlett, who’s a .546 OPS hitter against right-handed pitching, makes another start at third base against the right-hander. Since June 14, the day after their 20-run outburst in St. Louis, Phillies third basemen are hitting just .206. Chris Coste and Geoff Jenkins also earn starts, representing positions that also haven’t produced much over that same span (.212 catcher, .234 right field).

Transaction: Triple-A right-hander John Ennis, who made an emergency start for the Phillies late last season, was sold to the Samsung Lions of the Korean League.

Comments

[Reed]

Speechless on Bruntlett

[Tommy Hutton's Wristbands]

Rest assured Jimmy Rollins fans. I just traded J-Roll in my fantasy league. Now that he can no longer help my team he will return to his MVP form from last year.

[CJ]

I don't get Bruntlett either.

Is there something about Dobbs we don't know?

[Iceman]

Bruntlett again? This might be Manuel's "F*ck you" SERIES towards the FO.

[doubleh]

Dobbs was hurt earlier this season, wasn't he? Maybe it's flared up again?

[doubleh]

Iceman: If that were the case, wouldn't he start Walrond tonight?

[doubleh]

Iceman: If that were the case, wouldn't he start Walrond tonight?

[doubleh]

Sorry for dbl post; something wrong with my BL connection.

[donc]

Ignominious.

[Mick O]

Sold to the Korean League? Is this some more of that rascal Brett Myers' hijinks? That lovable rapscallion...

[THe DUde]

Stark mentioned on ESPN radio today that several high priced 3rd basemen have passed waivers but wouldn't give names...i'm guessing one is Beltre and another would be Rolen. I'd have to think that THe phils need to be exploring their options at upgrading this albatross. 3rd base has been a black hole for 5 years now and yet Management acts like its no big deal, just throw a scrub out there and he should be able to field a couple of balls a game and hit .240 and get by. Well folks they haven't done either for the better part of the past 5 years!

[bay_area_phan]

I never understood how you can just sell a player to a league halfway around the world. I mean, what if he doesn't want to go there? Wouldn't that pretty much negate the sale?

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Dude: Any above average 2B pass through to replace the Phillies' average guy manning 2nd now?

[CJ]

Pedro has given up two solo shots already in the first inning.

[MG]

BAP - Cash. If the Phils can make an extra 50k or 100k, bingo. Although pretty random this late in the season.

[bay_area_phan]

Rolen doesn't have much left, but I'd still be in favor of going after him. For one thing, in recent years he has hit right-handers much better than left-handers. So, if nothing else, he'd be a good platoon mate for Feliz. And we wouldn't lose much, if anything, on defense.

[CJ]

bap: Why would we deal for a player with a bad shoulder to play third when we have a guy with a bad back there already? Rolen is getting an off day every 4 days to keep him from returning, yet again, to the DL.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

CJ: Pedro would be the number 1 starter in the Phillies rotation. In fact, none of the Phillies pitchers would even make the MLB roster for the Mets.

[Jack]

Seriously, Bruntlett starting two consecutive nights against righties is retarded. I have to agree with Clout: it's like Charlie wants to save the better for bat for 1 at-bat late, instead of 3 earlier. Makes no sense.

Nice BB for our real leadoff batter there.

[GoPhilsGo]

Would the fans forgive Rolen for whatever it is that he did?

[THe Dude]

Parker -
In response to your comments last night about my view of Utley's numbers since May 1st are ludicrious. You say that I'm ignoring the first month of the season. I think 3 months (May - July) of just "average hitting" from Utley is a better predictor of his future success than the one month (April) of MVP type numbers.

I'm not saying he's horrible. I'm saying he's a good player who was clutch in previous year but certainly not this year. And by no means deserving of all the MVP/HOF talk that he received in April

[dennyb.]

"Pedro has given up two solo shots already in the first inning."

Pedro looks shot.

Bruntett continues to start, for his golden glove defense at 3B. With this team so prolific scoring runs, Cholly can keep that defensive guy in the lineup (sarcasm alert).

There is no reason Dobbs shouldn't be in there. None. Kendrick is a right-hander, who doesn't give up grounders to third anyway. I don't get it.

First 5 guys better hit tonight, or it will be another struggle.

[donc]

Rocket!

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

How about that average 2B? Man that guy is horrible.

[GoPhilsGo]

Uts!

[CJ]

Woo hoo!

Chase Utley with a big hit to get us going.

[redbeard]

thats the stuff right there!

nice hit, and great running!

[Jack]

There we go, way to get a run in early. Let's put a big number up here.

[GoPhilsGo]

11 game hitting streak for Mr. Average!

[CJ]

Parker: You are soooo right. Pedro could probably pitch every other day and be better than the Phils staff!

[johnnysanz3]

Vic
Utley
Burrell
Howard
Rollins
Werth/Dobbs/Coste
trash
trash
trash

I want that lineup

[THe DUde]

I don't want Rolen here especially since his numbers have decreased at a rapid rate the past few years. Possible Juicer/HGH'r??? I was just throwing out some names to banter about.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Dude, why pay any attention to the rest of his career either? 2-3 months is obviously indicative of future success, right?

I think you might get some argument from Michael Jack Schmidt on that point.

[CJ]

Mets get one back on a triple and then an error.

[bay_area_phan]

CJ: I'm not exactly chomping at the bit for Rolen. I just want to see the Phillies do SOMETHING to bolster their offense, even if it's with a part-time player. I am sick of seeing 2-run performances every other day.

[baxter]

I don't think the fans ever had a problem with him.

[THe Dude]

I give up. if you all want to man crush on Utley then there is nothing that I can do to persuade you otherwise. I'll just throw out the warning that his .265 average since May 1 might be what we get for an entire year next year. ANd if the guy isn't hitting for a high average and he gives below average fielding then how can you all think he's so great.

Funny we all rip Feliz for hitting .260 but Utley gets a free pass. Utley could go 0-5 with 3 k's and have 2 errors and get a free pass and nobody ever questions it, funny isn't it?

[CJ]

bap: We have a platoon partner for Feliz already... Dobbs has a higher OPS vs. righties than Rolen does. And Feliz has a higher OPS vs. lefties... so what role would Rolen play?

[baxter]

Eric "Toadstool" Bruntlett

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Dude:

What is Utley's career average? What is his average right now? What is Feliz's career average? What is Feliz's average right now?

Which do you think is more indicative of future performance? 1-2 months when a guy is reportedly injured, or the rest of his career?

If Utley hits .265 for an entire season, then there is something physically wrong with him.

[zach]

Even funnier is to hear a guy named The Dude question why Philly loves Utley so much...

[Steve Jeltz]

OPS of 2nd Basemen:

RK PLAYER OPS

1 Chase Utley
.947
2 Dan Uggla
.924
3 Ian Kinsler
.887
4 Brian Roberts
.841
5 Orlando Hudson
.825
6 Dustin Pedroia
.815
7 Mark DeRosa
.789
8 Kelly Johnson
.777
9 Brandon Phillips
.774
10 Placido Polanco
.765

How again do those numbers indicate Utley is an "average" 2B?

[redbeard]

give that man a gold glove at first

[Sophist]

"I'll just throw out the warning that his .265 average since May 1 might be what we get for an entire year next year"

Umm, Feliz hits .265 for his entire career. Check out Utley's career stats and come back. What do you think is more indicative of his future? His OPS+ since 2005 (132, 125, 145, 140) or his numbers since May 1?

Chase Utley is one of the best 3 position players in all of baseball.

[baxter]

Sorry, I only defend Ryan Howard.

[GoPhilsGo]

Always humorous to see how people manipulate and cherry pick stats to prove something that doesn't make a lot of sense.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Dude:

Did Utley kick your dog or something? Maybe he lives in your neighborhood and improperly disposed of his grass clippings like Cole Hamels?

[CJ]

Sorry, I only defend Kyle Kendrick.

[GoPhilsGo]

Sorry, I only defend Pete LaForest.

[CJ]

Big AT BAT here by Bruntlett with the pitcher on deck and 2 on with no outs.

[baxter]

I think its even funnier when two people cite stats and both claim to be "the stat guy".

[donc]

Rolling along in the gnome-mobile.

[zach]

Cholly knew it all along.

[CJ]

Yee haw!

What did I say.. big at bat here. Nice one Eric! The GUT is Right!

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Take that Beerleaguer!!! Plastic garden ornament my a#*!!! I'll nibble your legs off!!!

[CJ]

Well done, Kyle.

[Sophist]

Good work by Kendrick there.

Gnome! Well, he's not batting .000 against RHP. Nice RISP hit. He's had some good games this year.

[CJ]

Wow... not a pretty at bat for Vic.

[Sophist]

Vic's had a lot of trouble this year with a man on third and less than 2 out.

.176/.300/.176 -- 20 PA

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Maybe Gillick should employ a hypnotist to convince the hitters that Kendrick is pitching every game.

[CJ]

Such a promising inning... and a disappointing finish. Should be 4-0.

[zach]

Screw it... I was defending Chase but that AB has changed my entire opinion of him.

[donc]

Love the way we scored that third run. Small ball rules.

[doubleh]

What does it say when Kendrick is better at bringing a runner on third home than Rollins or Vic?

[Dave X]

From BaseballAmerica via some dude on PhuturePhillies :

"John Manuel : (2:16 PM ET ) Thanks for the kind words. Donald and Marson are both top 10-15 prospects in the EL for sure. Donald’s pretty solid at shortstop, not a gold glover or anything, but he doesn’t have to move off short. I think he’s going to be an average big leaguer, with Marson a tick above because he’s sufficient defensively at C (fringy arm) and has a big league bat. He has the better chance to be an all-star because of his offensive upside."

[MG]

At least the Phils scored that inning but they need to do a better job of takign advantage of Sanchez's charity and chase him early tonight. Fish's middle relief is almost as shaky as the Phils.

[Sophist]

That's good for 4 RBI, by the way.

[GoPhilsGo]

Damn! I wanted to be the first one to post something negative about that inning, but you beat me to it, CJ.

[bay_area_phan]

CJ: Dobbs isn't the greatest platoon partner because: (1) his bat is more valuable off the bench; (2) his defense stinks; and (3) because his defense stinks, Cholly doesn't like to use him.

Rolen was just an idea. We're not going to get Albert Pujols in a post-waivers trade. But we badly need a few bats. Eric Bruntlett is now a near-permanent fixture in our starting lineup. Need I say more?

[baxter]

I guess our "pitch to contact" rotation makes infield defense more of a priority. First it was "Bruntlett plays when Kendrick pitches", then "Bruntlett plays when Moyer pitches", then, "I'm not sure about Myers, better play Bruntlett", now its just "Return of the Gnome" everyday.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

zack: I agree. Based on that at bat, I would be absolutely shocked if Utley is not DFA'd by the middle of next season. They can't have a guy like that on the team. He is an obvious drag on the offense.

[bay_area_phan]

Gordon faced only 2 batters (walking 1 and retiring 1) in a rehab start tonight. That can only be bad news.

[baxter]

I guess the Gnome isn't needed when Blanton pitches, because every hit off Blanton is a line drive...either it goes right to you or its a hit...

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

baxter: But line drives are ok with Bruntlett at 3B as long as they are hit at a height of no greater than 3'4". That is Bruntlett's height, plus a vertical jump of a small garden fence.

[GoPhilsGo]

Gnome more cracks about Bruntlett's height.

[doubleh]

Kendrick needs to stop nibbling. I hope he does develop that curve he's been working on. Another pitch in his arsenal would really improve his game.

[donc]

KK is playing with fire. Harry made a good point about the Marlins taking more pitches. They're not hacking like usual. Same with last night.

[NEPP]

Quit bashing Utley.

Does Bruntlett have incriminating photos of UC and Gillick?

[donc]

GoPhilsGo: Very Punny:)

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Bruntlett would now officially like to be refered to as a Gnome-o Sapien, according to the system of bignomeial gnomenclature.

Howaaad!!! An obvious drag on the offense.

[NEPP]

Damned average 1B crushing the ball out of the park the opposite way.

[doubleh]

Well, that's one way to beat the shift.

[bay_area_phan]

I was actually thinking that would have been a good time for Howard to drop a bunt.

[Sophist]

Phils are certainly responding so far.

Nice generous zone for Kendrick so far.

[DickieThon]

CJ: the way that most of the sports of the world work is that players are bought and sold, often at long distances. This is especially true in soccer. Yes, in theory, a player can generally decline / complain / veto / etc, but usually this doesn't happen. Of course, I guess the difference is that since American sports are so US centric, once you leave America you more or less fall off the map.

That said, I think going to an Asian league is a great opportunity. Or rather, going to Japan can be. Alex Ramirez, a marginal at best major leaguer has become a celebrity in Toyko rather than riding a bus or playing golf in the states. Not all players achieve Ramirez' level of celebrity, but even so, I think there are far worse places to be, and many minor league cities (and a few major league ones) certainly make that list!

That also said, the Korean and Taiwanese leagues are not Japan, though Seoul and Busan anyway are better places to live (if you make reasonable amounts of money) than most US cities. If i was in the minors and at best a sometime or emergency major leaguer, id jump at a chance to go play in Japan, be happy with a chance to go to Korea, and would probably be ok with a move to Taiwan, too.

Any player who is reasonably self-aware/intelligent (as opposed to the deer-in-the-headlights, go from the ballpark-to-my-expat-house types) can turn themselves into a minor celebrity (and in, say, Tokyo this is certainly cool) and supplement their income with endorsement deals far better than what they could dream of getting in the USA. (I mean, by comparison, even average major leaguers like, say, Dobbs, can only get crap endorsement deals).

[GoPhilsGo]

Feh. Another solo HR by Howard.

[donc]

Maybe Ryno can go on one of his patented 5 homeruns in 4 games streaks.

[dennyb.]

Another good start by Benson tonight in AAA.

That's 4 in a row for him.

Likely not going to help this year, but its good to see him at least battling back here late in the year.

Hopefully, whether its with the Phils or not, he makes it back as a big league starter in 2009.

[bay_area_phan]

Why do our hitters keep swinging at 3-0 pitches when there's no one on base?

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Well that was obviously one of those 360 foot, Citizens Bank Park HR's right there. John Smoltz just shed a tear somewhere.

[donc]

Jenkins giving away another at bat. No discipline whatsoever.

[MG]

Kendrick has been ugly so far but somehow manages to make a pitch when he needs to. Really been his MO for the year so far.

[Sophist]

Do the Phils have Benson signed for 2009? I thought they didn't.

[donc]

MG: Agreed. Loved that third strike to Willingham, but he needs to be sharper. Pitch count is rising quickly.

[Sophist]

MG - re: Kendrick, Hermida has 2 of their 5 baserunning appearances. The key is that Uggla and Hanley are 0-4.

[NEPP]

No they don't. Benson is a free agent at the end of the year.

[bay_area_phan]

"Does Bruntlett have incriminating photos of UC and Gillick?"

NEPP: The imagery of those incriminating photos is rather disturbing to think about.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

I bet Benson gets some work in the bigs this year. The Phillies have had no significant injuries in the rotation this season. That is unlikely to continue. I figure Benson is probably first up at this point, assuming he continues to pitch well. It won't be Adam Eaton. I think the Phillies offered Eaton to the Korean League, but they were asking the Phillies to eat his salary.

[GoPhilsGo]

Just watching UC walk to the mound is rather disturbing. Listening to him speak is just baffling.

[Sophist]

Looking at Cot's, it seems Benson's is a 1-year deal. So he'll rehabilitate on their dime and maybe sign somewhere else? I hope not.