The Phillies bounced back from their crushing defeat in Atlanta to earn a 4-2 win over the Reds on Monday afternoon. The win improves the team to 65-70 on the season.
- Tyler Cloyd certainly was able to build on the success of his first major-league start. The right-hander pitched seven strong innings, allowing just one run on four hits and struck out nine. He earned his first career victory in the majors.
- The Phillies supported Cloyd with a three-run fifth inning, and an additional run in the seventh.
- All of their runs came from the long ball, with Jimmy Rollins launching a three-run shot in the fifth, and John Mayberry adding a solo home run.
- Justin De Fratus drew the assignment in the eighth inning, and responded with a scoreless inning.
- Phillipe Aumont was asked to record the save over Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth inning, and was successful despite allowing a run on two hits.
- Kevin Frandsen had another nice day at the plate, going 2-4. He’s maintained an impressive .347 average.
- Juan Pierre was the only other starter with multiple hits, going 2-4 himself.
- Chase Utley and Ryan Howard were unable to add any offensive support today, two big bats went a combined 0-8.
- Domonic Brown made his return to the lineup, but went 0-4, dropping his average to .242.
- As empty as the Phillies’ farm system was supposed to have been, its encouraging to see guys like Cloyd, De Fratus, and Aumont come up and make positive contributions.
- Cloyd has been very impressive in his first two starts, and if he keeps pitching like this, he’ll be competing with Kyle Kendrick for the fifth starter job next spring.
- De Fratus and Aumont were considered legitimate prospects (as opposed to a guy like B.J. Rosenberg), and each of them have a shot to win jobs in the bullpen next season.
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I like Cloyd over Kendrick and maybe Worley the think about Cloyd he knows how to pitch and he’s smart and fearless on the mound.
Hopefully this dosent sound to absurb.. Halladay, Hamels, cloyd, Worley and kendrick. If you could get a return on cliff lee, pick up a bat, I’d roll with that into next year. Kendrick has pitched very well of late and hopefully Worley ones back healthy. Food for thought
Not that absurd, Frank. If we expect to fill all of the holes in all 3 outfield spots, 3B, BP, & possibly 2B, Lee has to be traded. We have ZERO position players in the minors, that are MLB ready (Maybe Ruf in LF?), & FA is either filled with has-been’s, & more of the same overpaid garbage, that we signed last off-season. IMHO, Lee & Rollins, should be traded. Lee to Texas for 3B Olt, CF Leony’s Martin &/or LHSP Martin Perez. Rollins for WGF? Just get him outta here! We have TOO MANY holes to fill this off-season & our team is ancient, & in decline. It is TOO much, for 1 off-season to fix. I’m still not sold on either Brown & Mayberry, because they are frauds. The bullpen has more of an upside with Pap, DeFratus, Aumont, Horst, Valdez, Diekman, & possibly Stutes. If they can add another strong vet, they could be a strength, instead of a weakness.
i think they may look at a platoon with Sheirholtz (spelling) and Mayberry at one outfield spot… its not a great thing but i think its workable. I like many feel that Mayberry is one of the biggest disappointments this year, he is now putting up ok numbers but when they needed him the most he didn’t show up. D. Brown i think they will give him a full year and he has to be a .280 guy with 25 homers.
Bullpen is always a question mark going into the season but as you pointed out there is some decent potential there.
obviously a healthy utley is a major key…. so far he’s looked good
No more platoons. All that does is make sure that no one gets comfortable, because they never get enough at bats. One of those guys wins the spot then they should play every day.
Ruf should be the starting LF next year after this year in the minors. Unless he totally tanks it in the bigs, asI am sure that they will bring him up after the playoffs are over for Reading. Power hitting RH bat. Yes please.
FAs this year are weak, so they are gonna get huge paydays. Not sure the Phils will be able to get much unless the trade Lee as DCAR suggested. The Rangers are the most logical fit.
Texas Rangers have no intention of Trading 3B Mike Olt, they will be converting him to the OF since they have Adrian Beltre locked up at 3B for a few years.Olt will replace OF Josh Hamilton in the line-up and probably play LF. Texas President Nolan Ryan is not enamored with Hamilton and has stated to sources that they have no intention of Offering him any big deal in Free-Agency.
I see the Phils Pursuing Hamilton big time in Free-Agency and Bringing back Victorino since the Dodges really don’t need him with the acquisition of OF Carl Crawford in the Red Sox Deal along with having OF’s Kemp & Ethier..
I see Phils OF as this for 2012 – Mayberry/Scherholtz platoon in LF, Victorino back in the CF and Josh Hamilton in RF
I see the Phils Trading Cliff Lee & OF D Brown to the SD Padres for 3B Chase Headley and some Relief Pitchers..
2012 Phils Line-Up
1) Rollins – SS
2) Utley – 2B
3) Headley – 3B
4) Howard – 1B
5) Hamilton – RF
6) Ruiz – C
7) Victorino – CF
8) Mayberry/Scherholtz – LF
9) Pitcher
I also think the Phils would love to unload Rollins but his $22.5 Owed on his Contract over the next 2 Seasons makes it very unrealstic that a Team would Trade for him at this stage of his Career and especially recent reported of his dis-respect to his mAnager,Teammates and Fans alike for his non-hustling issues which have been occuring more often.. WHy Amaro signed him to a 3 Year Deals las off-season for Rollins was a huge mistake and it wasn’t like there was a big market out there for him last year and with his play and attitude this year, his Value is simply not as High as his Salary is.. Huge mistake, Amaro could have offered him a 1 Year Deal last year and where was Rollins going to go…
lee would not ok a trade to padres. no way in hell
as for rollins… he frustrates me as much as he does the rest of you but he is still a very high caliber defensive SS with 18 homeruns.
Jimmy joins the list of most under appreciated Philly star of all time. #20 was booed unmercifully, had a weird relationship with fans etc. yet is the greatest Philly of all time and now loved b fans. . Jimmy won MVP, 3 GG and gave the Phil’s the bravado to call out the mets. He will end with 2500 hits or close to it, all time Philly hits leader yet assholes call him out, shortsighted and petty assholes. When galvis is hitting 232 with 1 home run we will wish for jimmy
Haveacigar… you are the first person on here that has actually made sense in reagrds to Jimmy. People that call for him to be replaced are idiots! Has anyone seen what JJ Hardy is hitting this year? Well, he’s hitting 232! ESPN ranks JRoll the 7th best Short stop in all of baseball this year. Desmond, Jeter, Reyes,Cabrera,Castro, Andrus, Rollins.
When the Phillies looked around this past off-season, they didnt see anything that they liked. They re-upped JRoll and it was the right move.
I hate it whne he dogs it, just as much as anyone, but he can bring it.