• March 19, 2024

Notes From The Phillies’ 10-3 Loss To Washington

Kyle KendrickThe Philadelphia Phillies lost their second straight game on Sunday afternoon, falling to the Nationals 10-3. Their record drops to 42-53.

  • Kyle Kendrick had a tough outing, allowing five runs over 5.2 innings. 
  • Kendrick started the game by allowing three runs in the first inning. He suffered his ninth loss of the season.
  • The Phillies managed just five hits, two of them coming from Cody Asche who picked up two doubles and drove in a run.
  • Grady Sizemore got another start in left, and went 1-4.
  • Ryan Howard went 0-3 with a walk, and drove in a run.
  • Cameron Rupp went 0-4, but did manage to knock in a run.
  • The Phillies went just 1-12 with runners in scoring position.
  • Mario Hollands pitched 1.1 innings, and allowed two runs on three hits and a walk.
  • Justin De Fratus had a rough outing as well, allowing three runs on four hits.
  • De Fratus has now given up runs in four of his last six appearances.
  • Jeff Manship, recently rejoining the team from the disabled list, recorded the final two outs.

 

Final Thoughts

And so once again, the Phillies have been exposed and brought back down to Earth.

Dropping two of three over the weekend to one of the top teams in the division proved that the team’s five-game winning streak meant absolutely nothing, and that they aren’t any closer to turning things around than they’ve been all year long.

Its a little concerning that some of the young arms in the bullpen that have been performing so well have begun to struggle once again.

Justin De Fratus and Mario Hollands are struggling right now.

As mentioned above, De Fratus has given up runs in four of his last six appearances, and today’s three run effort was one of his worst in recent memory.

Hollands has given up four runs on six hits and a walk in his last two appearances while recording only four outs in that same stretch. It should also be noted that Hollands has only appeared in game situations twice since June 28th.

Denny Basens

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paulman
paulman
July 14, 2014 7:19 am

I’m afraid the Phils are what they are, which is not a very good Team
From Top to Bottom.. Is 84 Wins Possible? They would have to play
Close to .600 Ball and Win about 45 of their final 75 Games left
Just to be in the WildCard hunt..

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 14, 2014 7:24 am
Reply to  paulman

Paul I’m an optimist but there is no way….big changes in order. Pap is gone, Byrd is gone and I think Rollins may end up with the tigers. Maybe they should fire Steve Henderson…. Somebody has to fix Howard… He went from the ‘brand’ to just a pathetic hitter. They will not win without him

paulman
paulman
July 14, 2014 8:14 am
Reply to  haveacigar

I really don’t see any big moves and they may as well just ride it out
With who they got..
Byrd has quietly had a nice Season but is owed
$32 Million thru the 2016 Season so I don’t see anyone committing
That kind of $$$ for a 36 Year Old…
Pap for sure will be moved and maybe a Burnett to
The a Orioles or Pirates..
Actually a trade with Orioles with both Burnett/Pap could return a couple of good Prospects and help solidify the Orioles run for a Playoff Spot..
Burnett will only go to a Team that’s close by
I don’t like the Sizemore call up for Phils needs to find out about
Revere & Brown over the rest of the Season and who were actually playing better of late during their Win Streak, so why Platoon them with Sizemore at this point, makes no sense as it made no sense sending
pitcher Buchanan down to make spot open for Sizemore
They should have let Gwynn go

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 14, 2014 8:36 am
Reply to  paulman

2016 is a vested option for Byrd and Paul check out market salaries for guys who hit 30 hr and Paul that number is 16 million … 8 per year

mhenski
mhenski
July 14, 2014 10:30 am
Reply to  haveacigar

correct cigar. byrd is essentially owed 12 million for the next season and a half and will be a nice piece for a bunch of teams, that is extremely manageable.

paulman
paulman
July 14, 2014 10:52 am
Reply to  mhenski

I stand corrected
Byrd at $8 Million Per Season with Option for 2016
will draw some interest..
Seattle Mariners are reportedly interested but Byrd has a No Trade Clause with 4 Teams with the Mariners being one of the them which probably could be worked out if needed to per Byrd

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 14, 2014 11:00 am
Reply to  mhenski

Henski with the total lack of offense I see Byrd being a very attractive piece. I also seeing bastardo as a LH specialist (and he’s cheap) being a good trade chip…
Finally what do you make of the pathetic offense (none more so than the Phil’s) around baseball? Players are not putting up numbers like they did a few years ago? Was the whole game juiced?

DCar
DCar
July 15, 2014 1:21 am
Reply to  haveacigar

Now you’re surprised & asking these questions? Where was this 2-3 years ago, when I told you WTF was going on, as you ripped ripped me unmercifully & unwarranted, when your buffon GF Ruin 2morrow was making all of the idiotic moves he was making? How come you question the players pathetic play, when anyone with an iota of Baseball acumen, & eyes & a brain that functions normally saw it, but you still don’t have the balls to admit you were wrong about the team & the imbecile who put this team together? Very interesting! Very interesting indeed!!!!

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 15, 2014 6:26 am
Reply to  haveacigar

dcar… 3 years ago when howard hit 33, 116 I was right behind YOU buying WS tickets! I like you was cheering the addition of Pence, talking of Halladay’s dominance. Like YOU I was enjoying the best summer of baseball I’d ever seen. See UNLIKE you I realize that when you GO FOR IT you pay a price. UNLIKE you I realize that in sports some times when you go for it, it doesn’t work out. UNLIKE you I realize that when you go into a series as a heavy favorite you still have to play the game.
Idiotic moves? ok lets examine that…. Pence? you were 100% on board. Halladay? 100% on board. Paps you were 100% on board although you opined on here one time that heath bell was a good option lol. You also were in love with Olt, wanted galvis as your everyday shortstop…. you sir have selective memory. Baseball acumen, I’ve forgotten more than you know. I just understand that when you go for it sometimes it doesn’t work out.

DCar
DCar
July 15, 2014 6:47 am
Reply to  haveacigar

You’ve forgotten more than I know? RIIIIGHT! It’s funny that you mention the only 2 move in Hallady, that your GF Ruin 2morrow got right. What about the other 6 years of failure filled years of moves he made! GTFO!!!! Hallady was a good move, but then he flushed it away by trading away Lee unwarranted! Paps was a good move, but I said at the time it was a bad contract, that your boy bid against himself! I liked Pence, but what we gave up, & got back, was Organizational decimating! Olt is too young to give up on, in his 1st half of a season, you nitwit! I liked Bell 4-5 years ago, when he was still solid, & didn’t eat his way to mediocrity. Galvis, before the PED BS, was a good minor leaguer, & just as good defensively than J-Stroll! UNLIKE YOU, I know WTF I’m talking about, have balls to admit I was wrong, & eat crow when warranted. So continue with your agenda filled, BS irrational arguments, that make zero sense! You are a imbecilic, know-nothing moron, like your GF Ruin 2morrow. UNLIK YOU, everybody else realizes that!

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 15, 2014 7:05 am
Reply to  haveacigar

DCAR you say you understand the market then obviously you understand that getting pence at bargain $ for a season and a half is more valuable (hence costs more prospects) than pence at bargain $ for just 2.5 months… Of course I don’t have to tell you that because you have such a good understanding of how it works…

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 14, 2014 8:45 am

Paul , brown and revere have had an extensive look… Brown needs a change of scenery … That SOB was a top five prospect! Paul once again you don’t know what you are talking about with Buchanan going down and bringing in Sizemore …. Buchanan had just pitched so he’d be sitting on the bench, why not call up an extra hitter for the series allowing for an extra bench player! Think man because of the AS break Buchanan would not have pitched for ten days

paulman
paulman
July 14, 2014 12:43 pm
Reply to  haveacigar

Revere only has the Highest Batting Average on the Team with 200+ At Bats

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 14, 2014 1:22 pm
Reply to  paulman

Paul . Revere gives up at least .5 runs per game defensively you can’t go with him

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
July 14, 2014 1:39 pm
Reply to  haveacigar

by .001 over Utley, but his .316 OBP is a joke. Howard’s freakin OBP is .300 and he has a .220 BA.

daggolden
daggolden
July 15, 2014 5:47 am

Ryan Howards real woes began when the shift was implemented. Yes he still strikes out and yeas his skills have diminished but I swear Howard hits into the shift more than any player I have ever seen. Over the years he must have tons and tons of hits taken away because of the shift. It was a brilliant move by opposing teams.

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 15, 2014 6:35 am
Reply to  daggolden

they’ve been shifting him forever I believe…. Dag I have never seen a player fall so far so fast. The phils woes are traced directly to howards’ decline.

DCar
DCar
July 15, 2014 6:50 am
Reply to  haveacigar

Yeah & WHO signed him to a albatross contract 2 years before he had to, when at the time 4 other 1st basemen equal, or better than him where due to be free agents the same time??? HMMMM!!!!!

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 15, 2014 7:02 am
Reply to  DCar

Oh I forgot you wanted puljos as well… Lol that’s 10 for $240 that pays him till he’s 41.. Nagging injuries and full time DH. As for signing him when he was under team control …it is how business is done with a player who is helping your brand…there are dozens of players signed to contracts while arbitration eligible, latest being trout. As I’ve said DCAR you are a great internet GM..accountable to no one, able to use hindsight etc.

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 15, 2014 7:29 am
Reply to  haveacigar

Braves did it with freeman as well…it is how business is done in MLB…

DCar
DCar
July 15, 2014 1:04 pm
Reply to  haveacigar

And what is the difference between the signings of Trout, Freeman & Howard? Howard was under control for 2 more years, & was showing signs of decline, was going to be 31, & was fat & out of shape. Trout is 22 & Freeman is 24, you stupid, irrational boob! That isn’t how business is done with able & capable GM’s. Proactive, creative, capable, & able GM’s don’t sign unwarranted contracts, bidding against themselves, to declining players, past their primes! Real GM’s have the foresight to have plan A, plan B, plan C, if they run up against the issues we have. Real GM’s don’t take over a WS Champion team, & run it into the ground, & worsen it each subsequent year, all the while give an open checkbook! You continue to show your know-nothing cluelessness, stubbornness, & irrational argumentative attitude, without the balls to admit you were wrong. Just quit, you are wrong, & will never admit you were wrong, just because you don’t want to credit me for being correct of my assessments of your Girlfriend Ruin 2morrow! havenoclue fits you! BTW, I’d still rather have Pujols, Votto, or Fielder, rather than the fat useless, albatross has-been!

paulman
paulman
July 15, 2014 1:17 pm
Reply to  DCar

Freeman is much more of a Contact Hitter than Howard ever was
Freeman will bat .285-.300 for the next 8-10 Seasons and still get
his 25 HR’s and 100 RBI’s and probably a few Gold Glove’s along the way..

DCar
DCar
July 15, 2014 1:20 pm
Reply to  DCar

paul don’t waste your time rationalizing, to the irrational. This dude, & his little concubine Lil Bron-Bron, are so hell bent in making me look bad, that they can’t rationally see what clueless, know-nothing, morons, the both of them are. 2 peas in a pod!

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 15, 2014 1:54 pm
Reply to  DCar

He was in the top 10 in MVP voting for five straight years. You are idiotic. It’s the cost of doing business. Puljos will be crippled making 30$, votto paid till 40 will be useless and the list continues … You two look critically at the Phil’s but if u followed tithed teams this closely or passionately you would be saying similar things about them

DCar
DCar
July 15, 2014 2:28 pm
Reply to  DCar

You are/ were/ always will be wrong! Your GF Ruin 2morrow is an epic failure. Grow a sack, & just admit it. The truth shall set you free!

mhenski
mhenski
July 15, 2014 4:03 pm
Reply to  DCar

regarding howard i was on record as saying we should have not paid howard and signed pujols or fielder instead. in retrospect i think im glad we got howard as we only have to suffer for 1.5 – 2 more seasons (someone may take a flyer on him at the 2016 trade deadline if we pay his buyout 10million and probably 6 of his remaining 6.5 salary)…

i dont like the pickle we are in with him but i do agree it was the cost of doing business and you didnt know he was going to have a major injury and just disappear.

mhenski
mhenski
July 15, 2014 4:04 pm
Reply to  DCar

resigning jimmy, resigned/not trading chase last year were completely inexcusable. and it will also be inexcusable if boob doesnt move at least 3 of utley, rollins, byrd, brown, lee, hamels, papelbom.

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 15, 2014 2:36 pm

Dcar you don’t understand the business. If Howard went FA he would have commanded a longer more lucrative deal . Or they could have gotten your boys for a longer more expensive contract. 3/4 of your FA signed albatross deals with their home club because that is the business. Cards blew off Albert and he got 240$ until he is 40

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 15, 2014 3:04 pm

They signed him in 2010 at which time he was always in top 5 MVP votes, averaging about 50 and 140…. They locked him up. It is how you do business… Did it back fire yes….but that’s the chance you take in the real world outside of your blog.
Paul you couldn’t even comprehend that it was the appropriate move to send Buchanan down because he wasn’t scheduled to pitch for ten days. You continue to voice opinions without thought or understanding the situation.

DonP
DonP
July 15, 2014 4:05 pm

Dcar why u waste your time talkin to that fool The fukin idiot is clueless hes stuck on the howard thing still! Guy so predictable comes up to back points to outfield strikes out and smells his fukin hand! LMAO I refuse to watch a game till these friggin morons that own this team decide to make some changes for the better, first to go amaro , then our scouts and player evaluaters and development, coachesif cigar had any friggin sense he would realize howard was never star material HE WAS A FIFTH ROUND PICK! soon as they got his numberit was overhe he never could adjust big pile of shit he has the audacity to take a page out of babe ruths book! Hes friggin pointin what a jerk off

DCar
DCar
July 16, 2014 12:27 am
Reply to  DonP

DonP, good points, but when he was in his prime, before he turned into a fat pile of useless cow dung, he was a power threat every at bat. But, numbnuts above, refuses to admit that he is ever wrong, is stuck in the past, & refuses to criticise his Girlfriend Ruin 2morrow, for giving out asinine, albatross contracts, to old declining players. He just doesn’t have the balls to give me credit for being correct about the POS GM, because that admits his failures, & errs. He isn’t a man, so he’ll keep failing to make attempts at making me look bad, & turn everything on me. I played, & have been around Baseball, since when I was in Teeball- College- Pendel League. But, the know-nothing, numbnuts above, thinks only Professional Athletes, Coaches, Officials, & front office people, are the only ones with knowledge, know how, acumen, & an eye for talent, & everybody else with an opinion, smarts, & critical comments, are haters, armchair GM’s, & not understanding situations! It’s all BS, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH hot air, from an irrational, stubborn, condescending, liar, who doesn’t know $#!T about anything, who can’t admit he was wrong. I believe he is a troll, & a plant by the Phillies, maybe even Ruin 2morrows Family member, to try to back the failure. It happens on every site. Dude can’t be that delusional, irrational, & stupid! Listen, I have my faults, I have to stop letting myself to get pulled into BS, because of my temper, but I lack tolerence, nor patience for idiocy, stupidity, racism, & internet trolls, & keyboard gangstas. But, I’ll always be informed, brutally honest, non-biased, & never lie, regardless of the trolls, & idiots! I don’t know why I waste my time with him, because he’s a lost cause, stupid, irrational & thinks he knows-it-all, because of his so-called retired coaching/referee life.

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 16, 2014 5:58 am

money owed to players when they are 35 and over:
Puljos- $189 M—he is DH bound!
Votto- $145 M he is only 30, hurt and diminishing power
Cabrerra- $244 M–signed this extension even though he is under control of his 8 year $152 M contract. My favorite player- he is great but….injuries do happen
Fielder-$48 M– hurt this year hmmm hope he comes back strong and healthy
Howard $73M– obviously never came back from injury
For argument sake these numbers reflect all options being picked up.
DCAR I posted this because as you say above “I am always informed”—and once again you seem angry and bitter that i was fortunate enough to coach… I don’t get it.

paulman
paulman
July 16, 2014 7:32 am

The big difference with all these big Guys at 1B
Who received big Cobtracts is that the others don’t neccessairly have to
Hit HR’s to be effective like Howard does who is never been a consistent Contact Hitter like Puljos,Cabrera,Vott, Fielder
And these guys don’t hurt you in the field at 1B as Howard does
Where he simply can’t make plays on the ball like these other guys
Let’s face it, Ryan Howard is a 1-Trick Pony with a HR or Bust Hittibg approach and never has been able to adjust his approach and hitting as Pitchers adjusted to him.., Cabrera, Puljos, Vott, Fielder have adjusted throughout their Careers when healthy and still hit .300 Range or higher,
Hit a lot of Doubkes and are a Run Oroducers all while playing a solid 1B
Howard has never done these things well and that’s the Difference between being a “Pure Power Hitter” and a “Baseball Player “

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 16, 2014 8:32 am

Paul I suggest you check BB reference.com for some facts. you are saying he isn’t a run producer? Even with two shitty, injury riddled years counted in there Howard produces roughly 230 runs (130 RBI, 95 runs), Votto less than 200 runs, Cabrerra about 235, Fielder 195. Puljos is the best at about 240.

Defense yup he sucks– Puljos won’t be able to be a 1st baseman for much longer because his fielding and body won’t allow it.

paulman
July 26, 2011 – 9:38 am

For at the criticism he faces, he still is one of the Top 3 Run Producers in all of MLB over the last 3-4 Seasons which is what’s he’s paid to do..

Paul you directly contradict yourself… I love it!

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 16, 2014 8:34 am
Reply to  haveacigar

Paul your July 26th statement was based on fact and given the facts as I presented them above you were correct!

paulman
paulman
July 16, 2014 9:33 am
Reply to  haveacigar

You can have Ryan Howard HAC, He’s toast with his Body breaking down and his inability to adjust his Hitting approach at the Plate like I stated
He will never return to his glory years of 2008-2010..
Yes with 600 At-Bats he will still end up with around 35 HR’s and 100 RBI’s since he’s a HR or Bust type of Batter, but many of these HR’s end up as meaningless Stats for a last place Team..
Give me a line-up of Contact & good Situational Hitters..
If Darren Ruf played 1B and got 600 At-Bats, I am pretty confident that he would get 25-30 HR’s with 85-90 RBI’s and bat about .260 -.270 and play better Defense than Howard
Howard has become irrelevant

paulman
paulman
July 16, 2014 9:36 am
Reply to  haveacigar

Did you note that the July 26th Statement was back in 2011
Did anyone tell you It’s 2014 ???
Situations change, Howard is done with his best Years behind him

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 16, 2014 9:48 am
Reply to  paulman

paul the point is the market for howard back then made it an appropriate contract! You don’t think the other guys listed are going to be ‘earning’ $30 million when they are getting paid $30 M at 36, 37, 38, 39 and 40???? Paul you always talk about knowing sports management but as you said when he was signing the contract it was worth it… now its not..THATS THE REAL WORLD OF BEING A GM!
look at verlander- most dominating pitcher in the game….signs a HUGE CONTRACT and has been .500 since, no complete games for 2 years. it is the business!!!!!!
And as for meaningless HR… come on paul that is so freaking lame. watch every power hitter and they get a few when the team is up 5 to 0… ridiculous…. when you made your statement he was driving in 150 per year.
And please I know the $25 M is too high for his performance— and the $300k he made as MVP was way too low… it is the give and take of negotiations… you guys don’t take into account market…although you did in 2011 but now you are not…
wouldn’t you say puljos’ best days are behind him?

paulman
paulman
July 16, 2014 10:08 am
Reply to  haveacigar

Puljos CXontract was assanine, because 1-2 or 3 Teams make poor decisions or overpay for Players and Production doesn’t mean the rest of the League has to… Look at Oakland A’s who have contended each of the last few Seasons with a cheap payroll, or Teams like the Pirates and KC Royals that have developed Young Players and acquired reasonably priced Veterans to mix in but on shorter Term Deals ..

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 16, 2014 10:21 am
Reply to  paulman

Paul the small market model is a good one and legit. But it will be interesting what they do when these guys want to get paid. The big market teams pay that for branding reasons… You don’t see any royals on subway commercials. The $100, $200 million contracts are as much for brand recognition as they are for future performance

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 16, 2014 9:54 am
Reply to  paulman

hey gm paul yes situations change…you are 100% correct about that but the ink on contracts–howards and everyone else’s doesn’t change in baseball or basketball…football on the other hand is a shell game- anyway when you play with the big boys and you break out an ink pen you are in it for the fulltime..unfortunately players get paid for past performance ALL OF THEM!!!! results in the future are not guaranteed but the pay is…for all teams, players.
If you were as passionate about any other teams as you are the phils you would see similar things happening… how do you think the tigers feel about having a .500 pitcher with a 4.88 ERA that they are paying $28m to for the next 5-6 seasons! yikes! the Angels paying $30 million to a DH with a slowing bat? the nats a third baseman that cant throw? come on paul its the business!

paulman
paulman
July 16, 2014 10:05 am
Reply to  haveacigar

what was done with Howard is done, I am way over that
but now fast forward 3 Years as his Production dwindles and dwindles, than I replace him, whether I have to eat the $$$ or not as an Organization.. That’s the business they are in and there are always going to be some Contracts that end up being bad ones, so cut your losses and move forward is what I would like to see and not sit here in 2016 saying the same stuff we’ve been talking about..

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 16, 2014 10:30 am

Paul the A’s just went all in on two rental pitchers…sometimes you have to roll the dice bro!
If samarcha (spelling) or hammel comes in and takes them to the WS what are they going to command? A’s let them walk, they have a WS and two/three young studs are gone. worse yet they lose in playoffs, lost the two/three minor leaguers and then the two rentals walk…. not for the feint of heart

paulman
paulman
July 16, 2014 10:39 am
Reply to  haveacigar

Both Smarzdjja & Hammel were not very big risks financially as both become Free-Agents this Off-Season, chances are, A’s let them walk unless Smarzdjja really likes it out there, which is a possibility
Yes the A’s gave up some highly rated Prospects, but with a strong and deep Farm System, they can afford to give some young Players away to Win now..

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
July 16, 2014 10:39 am

They do get Samardzia for next year too (arbitration eligible). Brilliant move by Beane.

But when you have that kind of talent evaluator, you feel better off trading some of your prospects to take a shot.

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 16, 2014 10:45 am
Reply to  bugsyhawk

Yes great move and you are right they get him his last arbitration year. Point is it doesn’t always work out… Phil’s fans were universally ecstatic with the pence move, reserving a spot on the parade route. Point is you have to go all in when you have a shot.

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
July 16, 2014 11:18 am

Anyone that says that the Pence trade was a bad one is insane. Pence is what the Phils needed and is still what they Phils need. A corner OF with some pop. Rube created a need as soon as they traded him away and ended up getting nothing in return. I would still be happy with the trade if he was in RF this year and last year.

At the time they traded some talented prospects, but not Dom Brown who was their top prospect and one of the tops in the game. Can’t look back on Brown’s failure and Cosart/Singleton success and say that that trade was a failure.

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 16, 2014 11:22 am
Reply to  bugsyhawk

Agreed. Nothing is guaranteed. If that had led to a WS win all this would be moot…pence showed some warts but still I’d love to have him in rf

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
July 16, 2014 11:27 am

I don’t like Rube at all and I think that he should be gone mainly because I don’t think that he gets the right players when he sells players which is exactly what the Phils need now, but the Pence trade was actually one of his better moments.

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 16, 2014 11:57 am
Reply to  bugsyhawk

It is very popular to be down on him and certainly there are points to be made. I’m not as high on him or anybody as some on here have imagined. I give him credit for making moves to try to win following 08… When we had holes he tried to fill them. Brought in a lot of pieces that contributed to a lot of wins. If tommy Joseph doesn’t get concussed we very well could be looking at a solid catcher for the next 8 years. He was putting together solid numbers for a catcher. The lee trade a disaster… And I really think there was more to that then has been discussed publicly…but that is conjecture

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
July 16, 2014 1:14 pm

Here is how I look at. Specific moves aside, they had had a steep decline after 2011.

2012 = 81-81
2013 = 73-89
2014 42-53 at the break

Players have to produce, but ultimately he is responsible for the talent and it is clear that the Phils don’t have the talent to compete even with one of the highest payrolls in baseball. I don’t want the guy that put the team together that led to this decline to try to lead them out of it.

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 16, 2014 1:30 pm
Reply to  bugsyhawk

That is a fair point, I believe it’s less than a 50% chance he is gone. I think management has looked at it as we were all in for those years and being all in comes at a price. If he goes it would be fine to bring in some cybametrics dude or whatever.
The Phil’s , Red Sox , Yankees et al created this money situation . Of course smaller market teams have locked in some players till they were 40. But maybe more teams will balk at huge contracts but it doesn’t look like ir

paulman
paulman
July 17, 2014 1:45 pm

Best thing about All-Star Break is that the Phils didn’t lose anymore ground in the Standings… Enjoy this respite before they get back to Playing on Friday, Phils who are 42-53 after 95 Games, which is a .440 Win %..
To stay in the Wildcard Hunt, they would probably need to Win 84-85 Games
to have any chance and with 67 Games left, this meas that the Phils would have to go 42-25 over the remainder 67 Games of the Season which is about a .625 Win % .. Impossible no, probable no, most likely scenario has them playing better ball and at a .550 Win % and go 37-30 the Remainder of the way to Finish at 79-83 for the Season

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 18, 2014 6:08 pm
Reply to  paulman

Paulman your favorite player was released today by the braves and they ate $19milion. As I have always said… In baseball and basketball the ink they use to sign players is permanent … In football it’s dry erase ink

paulman
paulman
July 18, 2014 6:50 pm
Reply to  haveacigar

Yes good old Phils killer Dan Uggla who bats
.230 every year and has 233 Career HR’s which I bet
40-50 of them are against the Phils…
He lost his Starters spot to Young DeStella of the Braves
Back in Nay and was late to workouts and starting showing his ass
To to the Team so they axed them
He arrived 30 minutes before last Sat’s Game
And Manager Gonzales suspended 1 Game without pay and
Told the GM he wanted him gone so good for them even though
They are out the $$$
Watch The Yankees pick him up… Ha

haveacigar
haveacigar
July 18, 2014 6:58 pm
Reply to  paulman

Paul he hasn’t hit .230 in four years! Since coming to braves he has a 162 game average of .209! I was doing some research after reading about this… The tigers ate $30 million to dump fielder… I think the Phil’s would have to eat $50???? To dump Howard? Maybe more… Cost of doing business… But move him…

paulman
paulman
July 18, 2014 7:25 pm
Reply to  haveacigar

Talking about Fielder, I was hoping the Texas Rangers
Would have been in the Playoff Hunt this Season as a possible
Landing, trading spot for Howard, since they could have used a power bat at 1B with Fielders injury even if Phils would have eaten done of his Contract.. Then when Fielder returns next Seadon (if healthy)
Howard could have been their DH, but with them out if race also,
That will never happen..