Kuzul

Welcome to the 2010 MLB off-season: the time of year where even the most atrocious of organizations shine in the limelight.

Now, let’s get down to business as usual.

The 2010 free-agent market is bustling with great potential talent; talent that could indeed contribute to a gifted, capable Milwaukee ball-club.

With that being said, GM Doug Melvin has shockingly elected not to look into the free-agent market for possible starting pitching.  

Despite there being a few too many big-name free agents out there to possibly ignore, the Brewers are still looking into improving the rather disappointing ball-club of 2010.

In a season that seemed to be a slight downturn for nearly the entire franchise, there still were a few shining moments that only added to our anticipation for the 2011 season.

But, as expected, it is not enough to openly criticize.  So today is dedicated to a fresh start 2011 Milwaukee baseball year.  Let’s take a look at some possible free-agent signings worth the risk; beginning with the positions most needed to be filled.

Catchers

Although the last few catchers for Milwaukee have been less than impressive, there certainly is hope for an offseason signing.

With the addition of a power-hitting Catcher, you could make the argument that Milwaukee contains the league’s best pure hitting ball-club.

The offensive production between both Jonathon Lucroy and George Kottaras (not including Greg Zaun) only amounted to 142 total hits, with a BA of .290.  Along with a combined total of 13 HR, and 52 RBI, there is much work yet to be done for this catching unit this off-season.

Possible Free Agents: Miguel Olivo, Rod Barajas, Josh Bard, Yorvit Torrealba.

The most likely of candidates would have to be Barajas, coming off a 2010 season that included appearances with both the Mets, and finally the Dodgers.  

Barajas’ 2010 statistics: .240 BA, 17 HR, 47 RBI

Although the possible signing of Barajas is not yet favored in Milwaukee, I do believe this acquisition would make complete sense.

The addition of Barajas would bring in veteran, timely hitting at a cost no more than $500,000 per year.  Whether or not Milwaukee signs him as a one-year rental player or a three-plus year addition remains to be seen.

The Brewers are long overdue for an above-average hitting catcher.  This could be the answer Doug Melvin and company are looking for.

Outfielders

Most Milwaukee fans wouldn’t consider this to be a first order necessity this offseason; however, the lack of an official day-to-day center-fielder is a must.

Despite the fact that All-Stars Ryan Braun and Corey Hart inhabit a majority of the outfield, there is nothing quite like a power-hitting, defensively-skilled center-fielder.

Since the departure of Mike Cameron, the center-field position has been inhabited by the likes of Lorenzo Cain, Carlos Gomez, and Joe Inglett.

Despite fair production from a multitude of players, the Brewers need to step up and sign a worthy free agent.  Consistent production from every outfielder is what this team needs.

Possible Free Agents: Jermaine Dye, Jason Werth, Xavier Nady, Marlon Byrd, Coco Crisp.

Werth seems to be a bit of a stretch, but Xavier Nady and Coco Crisp are two consistent proven veterans that are obviously more than qualified to manage the outfield in center for 162 games.  However the addition of Crisp would benefit the Brewers most, adding speed and base-running skills only few posses.

Crisp’s 2010 statistics: .279 BA, 8 HR, 51 R, 38 RBI.

Crisp may be a bit too pricey for Melvin to pull the trigger, with a 2010 salary of $5,000,000.  However, health and age may be finally catching up to him, and the Brewers would be (at best) willing to gift Crisp with a three-year deal worth $5.5 million.

All in all, Crisp’s addition is not likely, but his talents remain unquestioned even at the ripe age of 31.

Relief Pitchers

A handful of games were lost in 2010 due to the lack of talent in the bullpen, and while the Brewers have now declined the option on Trevor Hoffman, there are big shoes yet to be filled this winter.

As for the entire pitching staff last season: 4.58 ERA (26th), 733 ER (25th), 35 SV (24th), .267 opponent’s batting average (25th), and only 7 shutouts (24th).

Improvement is needed and the demand is nothing less than a priority looking ahead to 2011.  If the Brewers want to contend in 2011, a handful of free-agent relief pitchers will need to be signed (no matter how much Doug Melvin contradicts the fact).

Of course, fresh, young arms will be brought up from Nashville to replace a select few that may have been let go since the end of the regular season.

Possible Free Agents: J.J. Putz, Kevin Gregg, Mike Gonzalez, Ryan Madson

Contract issues

Free agents: RHP Bush, LHP Chris Capuano, INF Craig Counsell, LHP Davis, RHP Hoffman and C Zaun

Eligible for arbitration: RHP Todd Coffey, 1B Fielder, OF Carlos Gomez, INF/OF Joe Inglett, RHP Kameron Loe, LHP Manny Parra, RHP Carlos Villanueva and 2B Weeks

Player options: None

Club options: Hoffman ($750,000 buyout), Davis ($1 million buyout), Zaun ($250,000 buyout)

Non-Tender possibilities: Coffey, Inglett, Parra, Villanueva

Tough spot for the Brewers.  However, I do think Doug Melvin and company will get the job done.

Craig Counsel is (without question) the MVP coming off the bench for the Brewers in 2009. With a .289 BA, 38 RBI, along with 22 2B in the 2009 season, there is no debating how important Counsel is coming off the bench.

Conclusion

With the recent hire of new manager Ron Roenicke, the Brewers have elected to put forth direction to the franchise.  Whether or not that is a good direction remains to be seen.

You have to feel extremely confident in how Doug Melvin has already put forth the effort in hiring a new manager, only a day after the official season ended.  Hopefully this trend continues until spring training rolls around.

This team has been widely known for its extreme potential over the past few seasons, and until progress has been made, the criticism will continue.

But, honestly, I love the Milwaukee’s chances heading into next season.  St. Louis continues to underachieve, Cincinnati will lose some key starters, Pittsburgh is still Pittsburgh, and Chicago is just plain bad.

The changes will be there, however the possibilities are endless for the Brewers leading up to 2011.

Dealing Prince Fielder away for pitching seems to become more and more apparent by the hour.  But there seems to be a shining light at the end of the tunnel.  How Doug Melvin and the Brewers reach that light will determine how this franchise operates for years to come.

Make sure to follow Alec Dopp on twitter: http://twitter.com/doppler9000 

As well as getting all your up-to-the-minute Brewers news, scores, and alerts from Brewers Daily:http://brewersbulletin.blogspot.com/

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

After the Phillies failed in their League Championship quest, I planned a hard luck blog in my head.

While words festered in there like a zit from a chocolate Ding Dong, I asked my dad to share a story I’d once heard him tell. But before he did, he wanted me to make one promise:

“Title your blog: My dad says, ‘Don’t pick on the heavy guys.’”

I had to commit because every writer loves a theme and every story needs a hero, and my old man was the key to both. So after I exchanged a title for a gift, he fed me one:

“Bradley was his name. Bradley Johnson. He was our second baseman. Good little leaguer. Always was the best dressed eleven-year-old I ever coached. Hard-nosed and bright—extremely so. We were playing Guttenberg and their pitcher was good-sized for twelve and threw hard. Smoke came behind the ball. After three innings of him it seemed we had done nothing but hit foul balls and cower.

Now I had kids who were not usually afraid because our pitchers threw hard to them in practice. But this guy was exceptional and just that much faster, and perhaps because he was bigger, they were jumping out of the box. So I had a talk about this between innings. I was never one to sugarcoat things, and to stick with this philosophy, I said, ‘Maybe we shouldn’t play teams that are this good. Or maybe I could ask their coach to throw the ball slower. Or perhaps we should just put some girl teams in the schedule.’

No one had anything to say.

The next batter up was Bradley. I don’t remember which pitch it was—the second or third, but he sent it screaming into center field. I was coaching first and after he rounded the bag and hustled back, he looked up from under his too large helmet with bright eyes—eyes that said he’d heard me, and said, ‘That’s a lot harder than you think.’

Our next hitter one-hopped it off the wall and before the inning closed, their coach walked to the mound, head down, and took his pitcher off the field in tears. I found out this was the first time any team had ever hit him. I didn’t share that with my players until much later, and their reactions are a bit foggy in my mind now, but I still vividly recall Bradley’s eyes when he glared up at me and said, ‘That’s a lot harder than you think.’”

The Phillies are still feeling the sting of elimination in a playoff season where all signs pointed to world domination.

We could talk on and on about who was out-pitched, out-hit, out-coached, or out-dueled; we could analyze the stats and ascertain why the underdog came out on top and the odds lied.

We could examine why the Padres “hit the ball where it’s pitched” while the Phillies were looking for their pitch to hit.

We could compare Charlie’s devotion to his starters to Bochy’s bench theory of musical chairs.

We could analyze the shortfalls of a long-ball game and the benefits of small ball.

And we could live the rumors that Phil’s fans are frontrunners or we can stand behind our team and buy what Charlie says, “That’s baseball.”

The reason I’m not distraught about the night where all the rally stayed on the towels is because I spent the hours before that game reflecting on the life of a friend. Glenna’s last wish was to be celebrated in an atmosphere of joy and gratitude with friends rejoicing in the music she loved and the service she had planned.

But as hard as I tried, every word that was spoken made it harder to breathe. Each attempt to utter a word to a song she had chosen made my face tremble, my throat seize and my tears run. It was a trifecta of sadness.

A few hours later, it occurred to me that I had failed miserably to carry through on Glenna’s request to pay my last respects with happiness in my heart, but it wasn’t for lack of effort or desire.

And if I ever see her again, I know exactly what I’ll say: “It’s not as easy as you think.”

I’m sure that’s how the players who made up the postseason roster feel about baseball—someone wins and someone loses.

We can sit back and point fingers, pass blame, analyze misfortune, and harbor guilt, or we can accept that everything worth having in life is hard to get.

I’m not embarrassed by the loss nor do I feel let down by the performance. What disappoints me is that most of the post game reports still refer to the series as lousy.

Maybe they’re writing this because that’s what people want to hear. Perhaps fans aren’t happy until they know the loss has taken its toll on the team.

One loss that day had taken its toll on me and I refused to let the outcome of Game 6 do the same. So I decided since I’d started Tweeting the series in Game 5, I’d bow up and do the same in Game 6.

I’d failed to keep my chin up for a friend so I thought the least I could do was be there for the Phils. My attempt went something like this:

“If the Phils lose I’m gonna start making Jayson Werth paper dolls—I’ll dress him in whipped cream.”

“If the Phillies are facing elimination, they just had a Kaopectate inning.”

“Ken Rosenthal is hanging out in the Phillies dugout hoping the momentum will help him grow.”

“Jayson Werth’s hair is wild. Man, I wish it was regulation to wear no pants.”

“Blown opportunity. I will not expand on that as an innuendo.”

“Watching Jayson Werth on TV through my binoculars definitely enhances a few things.”

“I’m so nervous I’ve had four hairstyles in five innings. Lincecum’s had two.”

“I wish I was a base. What I’d give to be tagged by Jayson Werth.”

“If ears get longer as we age, Lincecum better grow more hair.”

“I’ve been watching pitch placement on the Fox Tracker. Sooner or later they have to find me.”

“Giants are as hot as jalapeño peppers. You’ll feel the effects the next day too.”

“They said, ‘Buster’s the kind of guy who would sneak behind the barn to ‘chew a piece of gum.’’ I wish I’d thought to call it that.”

“I’m gonna brew a new Phillies beer. It’ll have no calories, no carbonation, and no color. I’m calling it, ‘O-fer’”

“Phillies have a double play deficiency. I probably have a salve for that.”

“My son said if you take the first letter from his name, you have ‘ick.’ I said, ‘If you do that to mine, you’re left with an ‘itch.’”

Harmless these one-liners were, but the Tweets that got me in trouble with my dad accumulated over the last two games:

“Sandoval took 10 pitches. They’re giving him oxygen.”

“How to get Pablo Sandoval to hit a single: put a chicken pot pie on first base.”

“The Giants gave Sandoval #48 because they needed numerals that covered a lot of space.”

“If I made a Pablo Sandoval paper doll, I don’t know that there’s enough whipped cream in the world to dress him.”

“I can’t tell the difference between Juan Uribe and Pablo Sandoval, especially at the buffet.”

That’s when my dad said, “Don’t pick on the heavy guys, they’ll come back to haunt you.”

Sure enough, Uribe did. He got me and Ryan Madson with a rare dinger over the right field wall for the go-ahead run. If you want to blame me for the Phillies’ downfall, go ahead.

Since my chest is flat, my shoulders have very little to do but carry this burden.

It will simply add to the pain of my Jayson Werth withdrawals.

One fan said to me, “You ho, what happened to your lust for Raul last year?”

Guilty as charged. Matter of fact, that’s probably one thing I qualify for: The Phillies Whore. It has a nice ring to it: A middle-aged woman with a knack for turning a lewd phrase about baseball doesn’t have a lot of options.

My husband says, “Tell them it’s not as easy as they think.”

Now you know why I keep him around.

All the attention I pay to men in uniform including pregame, post game, news and blogging certainly doesn’t pay an enviable hourly wage, but it’s a wonderful passion to have.

Like my friend, Glenna, said about her obsession with playing music: “You might have to pay me to stop.”

That’s exactly how I feel.

See you at the ballpark.

Copyright 2010 Flattish Poe all rights reserved.

Catch life one-liner at a time on Twitter.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Games like this make baseball the greatest sport there is. Playoff baseball at its best, with one team trying to reach the World Series for the first time since the Barry Bonds era and the other attempting to keep their season alive. Philadelphia was packed full of fans not ready to say goodbye to 2010, while the San Francisco Giants blocked out the enthusiasts in their effort to end the National League Championship Series here and now.

The sixth game didn’t begin as they would have liked, as starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez was off from the start. He has been terrific for the Giants, posting a 3.07 ERA during the season and an ERA much lower this postseason, but if there is one negative it’s his tendency to be wild. He certainly was against the Phillies on this night; his start was auspicious, and his exit was soon thereafter.

Two runs crossed for Philadelphia in the first, as the young left-hander issued a walk and allowed three hits in the frame to put his team behind. He struggled with his control in the second but helped his cause in the top of the third.

Roy Oswalt, who took the loss in relief in Game 4, made quick work of the Giants in the first two innings but ran into trouble in the third, as Sanchez greeted him coldly. The pitcher made solid contact and rapped a single up the middle. With that, noise was made and a busy inning had begun. The suddenly hot Andres Torres singled him to second, then Freddy Sanchez did his job in bunting the two over for Aubrey Huff. San Francisco’s slugger delivered, scoring Sanchez with a single.

Torres wasn’t as fortunate, as the speedster was gunned out at home on a strong throw by Shane Victorino.

Usually rallies are killed by such plays, but heads up base-running by Huff made all the difference in keeping the inning alive. He went to second as the throw from Victorino went home, and the decision paid dividends, as first baseman Ryan Howard was unable to scoop Buster Posey’s ensuing grounder in an attempt to record the final out. Huff was on the move as soon as contact was made and kept running as Howard struggled to coral the dribbler. As he crossed home plate without a throw, the Giants tied the game. It would remain 2-2 for a long time.

That’s because of Oswalt’s superb outing and the remarkable performance put together by San Francisco’s bullpen. Sanchez was pulled after allowing the first two to reach in the bottom of the third and after his jawing match with Chase Utley in a mild, benches-clearing fracas. His mind was all out of sorts, which was especially sad considering how dominant he was in his previous start against Philadelphia. But Jeremy Affeldt had his back, retiring the dangerous 4-5-6 hitters in the Phillies lineup without relinquishing a run. One of those who fanned was Ryan Howard, who remained RBI-less in the postseason by grounding out.

Affeldt began the effectiveness out of the pen, and Game 4 starter Madison Bumgarner and lefty specialist Javier Lopez followed suit. The trio combined to pitch five innings of three-hit ball, and, as a result, the eighth inning began with the score stuck at two apiece.

Ryan Madson, who had relieved Oswalt to pitch a scoreless seventh, took the mound for the eighth, hoping to have another uneventful inning under his belt. The first two Giants went down harmlessly, but then Juan Uribe stepped to the plate.

Uribe, who had the game-winning sacrifice fly in Game 4, was looking to put San Francisco ahead once more. A stout six-footer, the nine-year veteran with a constantly aggressive mentality went after Madson’s first pitch, a slider, and made sure he wouldn’t get it back. A level, almighty swing produced a high fly-ball to right field. Uribe sprinted out of the box, not counting on it drifting into the seats. Then, as he approached first base, the ball snuck over the wall by no more than a foot. Citizen’s Bank Park went silent. All that could be heard was Uribe’s feet and the cheers from the Giants dugout. It was music to the ears of every fan of San Francisco.

Holding a 3-2 lead, Tim Lincecum of all pitchers entered. Their ace who started just two nights earlier had been warming in the pen at the time of Uribe’s liftoff, and, just making the second relief appearance of his career, he was unsurprisingly shaky. Two singles were allowed with one out by the unorthodox right-hander, which led to his exit and closer Brian Wilson’s entrance.

Life was pumped back into the stadium, but it was soon taken away, as Carlos Ruiz lined a fastball from Wilson right into Huff’s glove at first, starting a demoralizing inning-ending double play. Uneasiness consumed the crowd, and the silence returned. Their team was now possibly three outs away from vacating amidst severe depression.

Philadelphia wouldn’t go down without a fight, but they would indeed go down. Two walks were issued by the quirky, black-bearded Wilson, the second coming with two out, but Howard did what Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees had done just the night before. He stood there, bat on shoulder, and watched the seventh pitch of the appearance, a hard slider, hit the outside corner for strike three. The call was made, Howard stood dejected, and Posey jumped out of his crouch and rushed towards Wilson. His teammates did the same, and the celebration began.

With that, the suspense culminating in one memorable strikeout, San Francisco is heading to the World Series for the first time since 2002, trying to attain their first title since 1954.

Three years before their last championship, Bobby Thomson hit the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” to win the NL Pennant. The Giants, then of New York, lost the World Series to the Yankees. Uribe’s blast wasn’t as dramatic, nor does it come close to comparing to Thomson’s incredible moment, but it could do something his did not. The homer to right could help the Giants to a World Series championship. Now, the Texas Rangers stand in their way.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

For Phillies‘ fans, it’s that time of year again. A fourth straight division title is all but clinched following 11 straight wins. Giving the Phillies the momentum of a team that is the odds-on favorite to make its third consecutive appearance in the World Series.

It’s been a season of highs and lows for Charlie Manuel’s bunch. For a great majority of the season, it seemed the Phillies couldn’t buy a run. Every offensive player but Jayson Werth spent time on the DL. And the Braves seemed to be in good position to capture the NL East.

Highlights of the year include the acquisition of the two most talented pitchers ever named Roy, another great September comeback, and a bullpen that rivals that of any in the National League.

The outstanding H2O combination of Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt has combined to be one of the best 1-2-3 pitching staffs in the history of major-league baseball.

Hamels is a proven veteran who put the Phillies on his back in winning both the ’08 NLCS and World Series MVP awards. Oswalt has an unblemished 4-0 record in seven career postseason starts.

And Halladay? Well, the man has never had the privilege of pitching in October baseball but there’s no denying he’s a gamer. He wants to go all nine innings every time he sets foot onto the mound. It speaks volumes about Halladay that fully one-third of his career shutouts were pitched in the pivotal month of September. His lifetime ERA in the month (2.53) is nearly a full run lower than his ERA in other months (3.49).

Lights Out Lidge may never recapture the magic of a miraculous 2008 season in which he converted all 41 save opportunities. Plus seven more in the postseason. Lidge has quietly regained his abilities to be a quality closer for a team destined to make a deep playoff push.

Perhaps the most underrated contributor of a championship-caliber baseball team has been The Bridge to Lidge, Ryan Madson. A true setup man in the days when most great relievers are converted to closers. Madson isn’t flashy but he has consistently turned himself into one of the game’s best relief pitchers.

With a 2.24 ERA for the season, Madson has put together a fourth consecutive quality season pitching primarily in the seventh or eighth inning. His 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings is a career best. As is his 5.08 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Madson struggled to find his form in the beginning of the season and missed two months to an injury. Since July 22, Madson has pitched 36 innings, posting an 0.75 ERA during that span. He hasn’t given up a home run and opponents are slugging just an anemic .190 against him. He’s held the opposition scoreless in 17 consecutive appearances and 31 of his last 32. What more could a team want from a setup man?

It seemed hopeless for Madson several years ago when a failed stint as a starter left him with an ERA in the mid-5.00s. He’s improved his velocity, topping out in the upper 90s with his fastball while perfecting an unhittable changeup.

Middle relief in baseball is like kicking in football. You never know what you’re going to get. When you have a great setup man, he’s normally converted to closer, a la Francisco Rodriguez or Mariano Rivera. A setup man that stays in the role is rare and valuable to a baseball team. There aren’t too many guys who put together as many good seasons as Madson has done for the ’07-’10 Phillies.

With the postseason looming close by, pitching will likely make or break the Phillies’ season. And with the way the pitchers have done this year, expect make more than break.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With the Atlanta Braves coming into Philadelphia this week for a three-game series, the Phillies couldn’t have it set up any better.

On Monday evening the Phillies had a three-game lead over the Braves in the National League East and still had three games at Atlanta remaining on the schedule.

If Philadelphia wanted to lock up the N.L. East crown, this series would go a long way towards popping the champagne.

And that’s precisely why manager Charlie Manuel had his best three guys ready to take the mound.

Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt were all scheduled to face the Braves.

One quick sweep later and the Phillies can breathe easy with a six-game lead. Meanwhile, the Braves cling to a half-game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the Wild Card race.

A month ago Atlanta looked like they were in control of the division. A Hollywood ending was unfolding: a division title and playoff run in Bobby Cox’s final season as the manager of the Braves.

Except too many people discounted the ability and experience of the Phillies, if that’s even possible to do with a team that has represented the N.L. in the last two World Series, winning one of them.

Fast-forward and the Phillies have run off 10 straight wins and sit days away from clinching a playoff berth.

With Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt all doing their part to anchor a rotation that has quickly become the best in baseball, the Phillies have become favorite picks to reach the World Series again this fall and perhaps win their second title in three years.

As a preview to October and a hat tip to those predicting the Phillies will win it all, we look at six of the most important Phillies who will determine whether or not the city is crowned champions in 2010.

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Over the next week or two I will be taking a division-by-division look at every team’s closer situation.  Who is closing now?  Who is next in line?  Who could get a look down the line?  Let’s kick things off with the NL East:

Atlanta Braves
Closer – Billy Wagner
Waiting in the Wings in 2010 – Takashi Saito
Closer of the Future – Craig Kimbrel

There’s no controversy here, as Wagner has been dominant all season long.  Not only is he sporting a miniscule 1.74 ERA and 0.89 WHIP, but he’s posted 72 strikeouts over 51.2 innings.  Saito will get an opportunity now and then, when Wagner needs a rest, but that’s about it. 

Given the age of both Wagner and Saito, Kimbrel is an integral part of the Braves’ future bullpen.  He has been dominant at Triple-A (1.50 ERA, 68 K over 48.0 innings) and in a brief stint in the Major Leagues (1.08 ERA, 15 K over 8.1 innings) this season.  Control could be an issue, but his pure stuff certainly portrays closer ability.

Florida Marlins
Closer – Leo Nunez
Waiting in the Wings in 2010 – Clay Hensley
Closer of the Future – Alejandro Ramos?

Nunez gave up four earned runs over three innings in his first three outings of August, but has been clean for his last three outings (allowing just one walk over three innings) prior to last night.  If Nunez struggles again, Hensley could get a look, but at 30-years old, he’s not likely a long-term solution. 

The fact is, the Marlins don’t have a clear-cut closer of the future.  Single-A closer Alejandro Ramos has posted 26 saves with a 3.83 ERA and 75 Ks over 56.1 innings, but he turns 24 in September, clearly pitching against younger competition.  It’s certainly more likely that they look outside of the organization for a 2011 replacement.

New York Mets
Closer – Hisanori Takahashi
Waiting in the Wings – Bobby Parnell
Closer of the Future – Bobby Parnell

It’s quite the void that Francisco Rodriguez and his off-the-field antics have created at the back end of the Mets bullpen.  While Takahashi is currently getting the chance, all signs point to Parnell potentially being a long-term solution for the Mets. 

With K-Rod’s future unknown, look for Parnell, who reportedly was clocked at over 100 mph on the gun last night, to get a look.  He’s well worth stashing, just in case.  Chances are Rodriguez will be back in 2011, but at this point anything is possible.

Philadelphia Phillies
Closer – Brad Lidge
Waiting in the Wings – Ryan Madson
Closer of the Future – Ryan Madson

Brad Lidge is not the closer he once was, but the Phillies continue to lean on him.  He’s pitched just 27.1 innings, with a 4.28 ERA and 1.35 WHIP.  Madson is perennially the second in line, when healthy, though both he and Lidge have been on the DL at times this season. 

While he has not always been lights-out when given the chance to close games, Madson has been good, overall, for four years running now.  At 29-years old, it is safe to think that he could be the solution, if given the chance.

Washington Nationals
Closer – Drew Storen
Waiting in the Wings – Tyler Clippard
Closer of the Future – Drew Storen

The deadline deal of Matt Capps allowed the Nationals to get a look at their future closer today.  Drafted in the first round of the 2009 draft, he has been solid thus far.  He’s had one bad outing in August, but he has posted a 2.57 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in six appearances (seven innings).  He’s the long-term solution, so take your shot with him.

What are your thoughts on these situations?

Make sure to check out our extremely early 2011 rankings:

• Catchers
• First Basemen
• Second Basemen
• Third Basemen
• Shortstops
• Outfielders
• Closers

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

I woke up with a stiff neck. The problem is that it lasted more than four hours.

For a second, I thought my husband slipped me some Viagra.

Someone definitely slipped the Phillies something. They’ve taken the lead in the wild-card race and won twenty or so of their last bunch of games.

That was helpful information, wasn’t it? I would’ve looked up the facts but that interferes with worthwhile stuff like plucking chest hairs in my magnifying mirror so I can finally look at my breasts and see 36 double dees.

Or watching my dog sniff the cat’s butt for the zillionth time to ensure it’s the same pet he’s lived with for six years.

I named my dog Brett Farve—he’s never sure.

But I’m sure of one thing: the Phils looked great when we saw them in game one of the series against San Francisco.

A guy with a huge cranium and his totally bald friend who was wearing sunglasses on the back of his head took their seats between the plate and me. I felt like I was staring at Vin Diesel.

Then music started. I thought I heard a flute played by someone way too happy so I waited for the next break to confirm. Sure enough my husband turned to me and said, “It’s either merry music night or Irish Heritage Day.”

I’m Irish—I understand the connection. I’m living proof that everything in Ireland was conceived over whiskey.  I think there’s even a sheep joke in there somewhere. And someday someone will question the tradition of kissing a stone named for bullshit.

Pat Burrell was back. He whacked a two-run homer in his first at-bat to distract from the fact that “snug” is how he now likes to wear his pants.

Just another reason to question his move to the bay area.

As I scanned the fielders with my binoculars, I noticed that all the Giants’ pants seemed a little clingy, raising only more questions.

Like how that new Victoria’s Secret bra works. It claims it remembers your curves. I don’t want a bra that remembers my curves, I want one that fakes some.

You know, they asked Sarah Palin if she had breast implants. My friend Jimi said she was trying to avoid the flat tax.

Just once I wish someone would ask me if I got a boob job. My husband says I should stick with the magnifying mirror. Let me give it a try. “Mirror, mirror on the wall, can I buy boobies at the mall?”

No answer. Just like talking to my husband, I don’t know if that’s a “yes” or a “no.”

So let’s talk shop.

Phillies pitcher Ryan Madson—like the emperor—has found his groove. I just wish he’d do it without clothes.

Roy Oswalt’s dead arm has found life. I’m now guaranteed the big O every five games whether or not I have a headache.

In game two against the Giants, Jimmy Rollins was 3 for 5, slammed a three-run homer, almost hit for the cycle, stole three bases, and scored twice. Like my name on the bathroom wall, Fanavision didn’t have room to list all his accomplishments.

Charlie Manuel has used his 1,380,956th lineup this season. I’m exaggerating. That’s what people do when they catch a scrawny fish or marry a short guy.

I think Pablo Sandoval got even bigger between games one and two. Or maybe the camera adds ten pounds a game.

Jayson Werth didn’t make the cover of Sports Illustrated but he’s somewhere in the center. The problem is he’s fully dressed. It’s not even a scratch and sniff.

Citizens Bank Park celebrated its 99th consecutive sellout. That’s impressive. I have yet to make it through that many bottles of beer on the wall.

Chase Utley returned from the DL and got a standing ovation. My sister gets those—when she walks into Neiman-Marcus.

And I see pistachios are now being sold at Citizens Bank Park. They’re tasty, but the pack is small and the price is high. I can’t pay a dollar a nut. The two I’m familiar with aren’t even worth that.

If they’re trying to sell healthier snacks they might want to reconsider training their sales force. A girl walked by in the sixth inning selling “postichios.”

I almost bought a pack to see what a gay nut tastes like.

On that note, if you’re a transvestite dressed as Lady Gaga, are you really a boy or a girl?

At one point in the game, the two guys in front of us left their seats. Two cute, young, shapely, blond squatters took their place, giggling with delight at upgrading their view. (Like a center field seat is so much closer. Where were they sitting, New Jersey?)

An inning later, the guys returned; Mr. Cranium led the way. I was curious to hear what a tall, handsome season ticket holder with a tray full of food, beer bottles tucked between the fingers of one hand, and no wedding band would say to a sweet pair of co-eds hoping to share.

How ‘bout, “You’re in my seat.”

I think he’s a closet Giants fan.

Celtic music started to play and the Phanatic jumped onto the Phillies dugout accompanied by a line of performers. My son said, “Look mom, it’s Lord of the Prance.”

“That’s Lord of the Dance.”

My husband said, “When did Pat Burrell’s pants get so tight?”

Then the vendor shuffled by, “Hey, get your ‘postichios’ here!”

Welcome to Irish Heritage Day.

See you at the ballpark.

Copyright 2010 Flattish Poe all rights reserved.

Catch life one-liner at a time on Twitter.

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Let’s face it, we’ve all had those moments during the 2010 Phillies season.

Charlie Manuel casually strolls to the mound, head down, and then signals to the bullpen to send some relief for his reliever.

As we watch another bullpen arm head for the dugout, we reiterate that nobody in the Phillies front office listened to our concerns about relief pitching at the trade deadline and beyond.

The most recent of those “Do they still make Rolaids?“ moments came during Tuesday’s night’s debacle against the Dodgers. The Phillies were in the midst of one of those drubbings that happen only a few times each major league season (or more than a few if you’re the Pirates, Royals, or Orioles).

On that night, nothing positive was delivered by any Phillie who toed the rubber, and consequently nothing positive came from the reactions of people who follow the team and plan on watching baseball around Halloween.

Wednesday’s sports radio and message board discussions repeatedly pointed out that the 2.5 Million Dollar Man (Danys Baez) and Mr. Rule 5 (David Herndon) are awful. This assessment usually transitioned to the one in which everyone identified J.C. Romero as a complete disaster, Ryan Madsen as maddeningly inconsistent, and Brad Lidge as washed up.

Not many of the above evaluations would land anyone an analyst’s job with the MLB Network. Just about everyone’s belief is that the Phillies’ offense will get healthy in time to overtake the Braves. Their starting pitching will make the Phillies a threat in any postseason series. Then, if their bullpen appears in the playoffs as presently constructed, it will be the team’s undoing.

To be sure, the Phillies bullpen is not very good as playoff contenders go. They are currently ranked tenth in the National League and are the worst of all of the NL playoff contenders (and the second worst of all MLB playoff contenders, ahead of only the Angels).

What everyone fails to acknowledge is that the Phillies 2010 pitching situation may be just as good if not better than that of the 2009 Phillies who came within two wins of a World Series title.

Let’s start with those who start.

Everyone agrees that this year’s starting rotation is better than last year’s, but just how much better is it? Before we get to the statistics, just consider that this year’s playoff starts will be handled almost exclusively by Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and the 2010 version of Cole Hamels. Last year’s rotation was headlined by Cliff Lee, the 2009 version of Cole Hamels, and a three headed monster of Pedro Martinez, J.A. Happ and Joe Blanton.

So, essentially the Phillies have gone from a 2009 rotation that went one-deep to one that goes three-deep with elite starters.

A deeper look at those starting rotations reveals a few main themes.

First, Phillies starters not named Cliff Lee averaged only 5 innings pitched during their ten postseason starts. Next, Cole Hamels was particularly awful in the 2009 postseason. He started four games, averaged 4.2 innings per start, and posted an ERA of 7.58. Lastly, Cliff Lee was clearly as dominant a starter as a team could wish for in the playoffs. He averaged 8.0 innings pitched during his five playoff starts, with a ridiculous ERA of 1.56.

In summary, due to the short outings of their starters during the 2009 playoffs, the Phillies bullpen was responsible for an average of four full innings per game in the ten games not started by Cliff Lee. However, even with a struggling Brad Lidge, an inconsistent Ryan Madsen, and only two reliable left-handers in J.C. Romero and Scott Eyre (Antonio Bastardo made minimal contributions), the Phillies came within two wins of a second straight World Series title. .

If the Phillies make a deep postseason run again this year, it is quite possible that only two or three playoff games will be started by a pitcher other than Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt or Cole Hamels. Based on their regular season numbers, this Phillies big three are averaging just under seven full innings per start.

Therefore, if the Phillies get the performance they are paying for from their big-name starters, they could realistically be looking for just about two innings per night from their bullpen, as opposed to the four innings they were sweating out during many of last year‘s playoff games.

The reality is that a set of only five or six relievers will be counted on to get six or seven outs to secure playoff wins. The right-handed options will include Chad Durbin, Jose Contreras, Ryan Madsen and Brad Lidge. The more nerveracking at-bats will be contested by lefties J.C. Romero and Antonio Bastardo, unless the team acquires another arm via a waiver deal. That leaves Joe Blanton or Kyle Kendrick for long relief, similar to the roles assumed by Blanton and Happ last season.

Now, clearly this analysis is oversimplifying what it takes to get six outs at the end of a major league baseball playoff game. However, it provides a little perspective to the panic we have all been having over some of the bad relief appearances we have seen from the 2010 Phillies.

So, despite the contempt that exists for Baez and Herndon, the Phillies will make us tolerate them for another regular season. The team’s financial situation will prevent them from paying Baez to pitch somewhere else and also from paying someone else far more than David Herndon to pitch here.

The consolation is that neither Baez nor Herndon will find themselves on the roster for any the team’s postseason series.

The Phillies still have question marks surrounding their closer and left-handed relieving corps. However, they have a group of starters that is light years ahead of last year’s, which will make the relievers responsible for fewer outs than either the 2008 or 2009 bullpens .

Take a deep breath, Phillies fans.

Welcome back Victorino, then Howard, then Utley.

Then, let this team make the bullpen look good.

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In the last two years, the Phillies closer role has been filled by “a veritable who’s who of incompetent puppets,” as said by Dr. Kelso from ABC’s television show Scrubs .

In 2009, Brad Lidge did almost everything in his power to warrant a demotion from the closer’s role, if not from the major league roster in general. 

Blowing an almost mind numbing 11 saves, as well as posting a 5.45 FIP, he was clearly earning the loser portion of closer. 

His gallant replacement was set-up man Ryan Madson. His pitching featured a simmering high 90’s fastball and disappearing changeup. He spelled Lidge on occasion, but unfortunately managed to muster an equally poor six blown saves. Despite that ugly number, Madson was mostly a victim of bad luck as his 3.23 FIP shows.

Regardless, to say the Phillies closer has been a weak spot would be an understatement.

Coming into 2010, Brad Lidge was on the DL after multiple offseason surgeries, Ryan Madson was the stand-in closer, and Jose Conteras was a 38-year-old former starting pitcher that had suffered a disappointing 2009 campaign. The Phillies had taken a one-year flier on in an attempt to add some middle relief depth.

What a drastic role-reversal a couple of months can create. 

Now, in mid-May, after a brief and relatively successful return, Brad Lidge is back on the disabled list, Ryan Madson ended up on the wrong side of a fight against a folding chair, and Jose Contreras, yes that Jose Contreras, has emerged as the Phillies most successful and dominant reliever. 

Contreras’s rise has been quite extraordinary. He went through spring training with some bad statistics and some ugly outings. He looked like he was somehow going to turn the Phillies’ very small investment into a bad deal.

But somewhere between Spring Training and the regular season, Jose Contreras managed to figure something out. 

At this point in the season, albeit early season, Contreras owns a magnificent 9.0 K/BB rate and 1.82 FIP. 

He is striking out batters at an alarming rate with a filthy mix of mid-90’s splitters and nasty sliders. Even more importantly, he has maintained some outstanding control with a very respectable BB/9 rate of 1.35.

So as of right now, the Phillies bullpen is not acting like the hole that would sink the Phillies ship that many expected it to be. Even more importantly, even in the absence of Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson, the Phillies closer role looks to be in decidedly good hands.

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Who would have thought that the most indispensable part of the Phillies infield would turn out to be Juan Castro?

When Jimmy Rollins tweaked his calf muscle in mid-April, he was batting .391 with a .516 OBP, and a wOBA of .527. Impressive numbers, ones that he certainly would not have been able to keep up over the course of the season, but clearly he would be very hard to replace.

He was replaced by Juan Castro, who provided solid defense, in addition to at least moderately adequate offensive numbers, batting .258 with a .255 wOBA.

But when Castro came down with a strained left knee, the Phillies had no choice but to insert Wilson Valdez into the starting lineup.

Doing his best Exxon Valdez impression, Wilson Valdez has been about as helpful to the Phillies offense as the oil spill was to the Alaskan wildlife.

Valdez is currently batting .152, but more impressively has somehow managed to ground into five double plays in the last week alone.

It takes a sincere concerted effort to provide such a debilitating presence in a lineup.

The penguins and seals that had the misfortune of making their habitat off the coast of Alaska in 1989 may have had their ecosystem destroyed by millions of gallons of oil, but at least they didn’t have to deal with rally-killing double plays.

While the injuries to the position players have been irksome, the injuries to the Phillies bullpen are now bordering on the macabre.

Brad Lidge had finally returned from his off-season knee and elbow surgeries, and at least initially seemed to be vaguely resembling the pitcher who saved 48 games in 48 chances in 2008.

This brief tidbit of good news was of course followed by reports that Lidge is yet again feeling tightness in his elbow and has been consulting with team doctors.

But the Lidge injury cannot even come close to rivaling the unfortunate and cataclysmic event that happened to Ryan Madson.

Perhaps dismayed with his inability to dominate opposing batters in the ninth inning of games so far this year, upon blowing yet another save, this time against the San Francisco Giants on April 26th, Madson returned to the dugout, where sources say he was rudely, irresponsibly, and vulgarly, verbally abused by a particularly sassy folding chair.

Now being a man of supreme pride, and impressive martial arts abilities, Ryan Madson defended himself by issuing a swift roundhouse kick to said chair.

Unfortunately because of his aggressive self-defense, Madson managed to fracture a toe and now currently resides on the 60-day DL.

But such a small price to pay for reducing a sarcastic chair to mere splinters.

While on the plus side the Phillies have still managed to chug along with a 20-13 record, one can only hope their days of rash decisions and unfortunate injuries are behind them.

But then again, this is baseball, and as long as there are games there will be injuries, and in Ryan Madson’s case, as long as there are chairs, there will be blood. 

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