Trent Steele wrote:

slugsrbad wrote:

Trent Steele wrote:

PA_Dan wrote:NY Times on Mike Sweeney...

Playing ball in October instead of playing golf

The Phillies’ Raul Ibanez played with Sweeney for three of those seasons. Each year would end in despair, yet every day, Ibanez said, Sweeney would show up in the clubhouse smiling, often singing. He would interact with longtime Royals fans around the dugout, remembering their names and the names of their children.

Ibanez is unfailingly polite and courteous, yet he said even he could not fathom how a player could be so sincerely and consistently upbeat.

“I have a son and three daughters,” Ibanez said, “and I have no problem saying to you that I hope my son turns out like him and I hope that my three daughters marry a guy like him. I would be honored.”

Goddamn, i love this team. Except for Romero.

Even Lidge?

It's hard not to like Lidge on a personal level; he seems like a good guy. Trusting him is a different issue.

True, when he gives up home runs he doesn't point in the air like they are flyball like ol' dependable JC

The Eeming Tree wrote:http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2010/09/23/sports/doc4c9ac19cb3413887367027.txt

OMFG HILARIOUS !!!!!!!!!

Cliff Lee still? Really?

Hard not to like Sweeney, but this is pushing it with respect to describing his abilities:

Yet he gives the Phillies a power bat off the bench — think of a right-handed Matt Stairs

Sweeney had some definite pop, but that has mostly diminished.

Nonetheless, I think there should be a parody movie of "Rudy" called "Sweeney." OMFG, this is a great idea. It begins with the postseason. Sweeney is left off the NLDS roster, but is there with the "practice squad," trying ridiculously hard during batting practices, etc.: shagging flyballs like it is game 7 of the World Series, going in to pitch some BP and breaking off wicked sliders to Ryan Howard, etc. We'd have to invent a non-existent older Phillie to be the "guy with all the natural talent who resents how hard Sweeney tries" and gets yelled at by Manuel in a pivotal scene where he's told that if he "had one eighth the heart of Sweeney he would have hit 500 HRs." Maybe we could pretend Travis Lee was still on the team for this purpose. Or we could just defame Ibanez and use him. Yeah, let's do that. Of course, Ibanez would learn, too late, the value of a good attitude and hard work.

Anyway, Sweeney would again be left off the NLCS roster, but Chuck would promise him that, if the Phils made the World Series, he would be allowed to dress. More trying ridiculously hard in BP and infield drills. Phils go on to WS, Chuck keeps his promise.

But now, the real drama: will the Sweeney get to play? For our purposes, Phils will have to not have HFA, so they are home for game 4. Phils, of course, go up three games to none in the World Series by a combined score of 148-3 (Romero and Baez garbage time what the fucking fuck bullshit cocksucking horse manure for the three runs they give up), and Sweeney hasn't played. Scene with Manuel in his office - Utley says he wants to talk to him. Manuel says, "Sure." Utley says, "I want Sweeney to dress in my place," hands in jersey. Then Howard, then Victorino, etc. Manuel looks irritated, sighs, puts head in hand.

Final scene: Phils up 24-0 in the bottom of the eighth. Crowd starts chanting "Sweeney! Sweeney!" Inning changes, no Sweeny. One out. No Sweeney. After two outs, Sweeney goes in, to delight of crowd, to play first base for Howard.

BUT WAIT!!!!!

Raul Ibanez, who somehow plays third base for the Phils in our movie, calls a meeting at the mound. Ruiz joins in. "We've got to let them score," Ibanez says. Roy Halladay says, "But I love having a 0.00 postseason ERA." But Raul Ibanez says, "We've got to get Sweeney an AB!" Ruiz agrees. Halladay says, "Alright, for Sweeney." Then he gives up 24 runs (Chuck goes with his gut, let's Halladay try to finish it). As they walk off the field with the score tied, Ibanez, who made 7 errors in the inning, tells Sweeney, "That was for you."

So, two outs, bottom of nine, and guess who comes up? Mike Sweeney! Crowd chanting. Home run hit. Triumphant run around the bases.

Fade to black

I was wondering what dope of a "journalist" would be the first to suggest replacing Rollins with Valdez...now we know

moz.

the "that was for you" made me crack up

Luzinski's Gut wrote:I was wondering what dope of a "journalist" would be the first to suggest replacing Rollins with Valdez...now we know

I kind of suggested this to phatj when we were at the game the other day. Not saying that Valdez would be better than Rollins, of course; but if they need to shed some money to pay Werth, we've all talked about dumping Victorino for this purpose, but perhaps Rollins could be dumped?

It is Werth or Rollins, pick one... I love Jimmy... love him... but man, Werth does make a huge difference when he is hot.

td11 wrote::lol: moz.

the "that was for you" made me crack up

My parody might be better if Sweeney hit a meaningless home run in the bottom of the eighth, followed by a diving stop on a ball at first base in the top of the ninth that sends the crowd into a tizzy but is the second out of the ninth inning in a 24-0 thumping. But the problem then is, how do you have the scene on the field where the players conspire to get Sweeney an extra at bat, and then still have that at bat be utterly meaningless, like Rudy's tackle? Impossible, unless it is on the road, but come on, this is a movie, it has to be at home.

OMFG - GENIUS JUST OCCURRED TO ME!!!! Extra "home" games! Pulling all the different elements of 2010 together.

The Eeming Tree wrote:http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2010/09/23/sports/doc4c9ac19cb3413887367027.txt

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtNHuqHWefU[/youtube]

Guys, I don't think this is as stupid as you all seem to think it is.

Exxon isn't as good as Rollins, obviously. Rollins, when healthy, will hit home runs, which Valdez will never do.

But who has been more valuable to the Phillies since 2008, Jayson Werth or Jimmy Rollins?

OPS+s:

Werth:

121
128
141

Rollins:

103
86
85

Games played:

Werth:

134
159
149

Rollins:

137
155
82

Rollins' trend lines are bad, you can win with a glove-only SS when you have good pitching, which the Phillies now definitely do, and Rollins is expensive, and will want another expensive contract after 2011.

We're not really talking about Exxon replacing Rollins. We're talking about whether to keep J-Roll or Werth. I am willing to take ownership on faith, now, when they say they are at their limit. Floppy has previously suggested the Phillies can afford Werth without shedding anyone, and maybe they can. But if they can't, and a choice needs to be made, well...

This isn't as crazy or stupid as you people seem to think.

The Eeming Tree wrote:http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2010/09/23/sports/doc4c9ac19cb3413887367027.txt

One of the dumbest articles ever. And do they even check their facts? Valdez's minor average was .284, not .300.

mozartpc27 wrote:Guys, I don't think this is as stupid as you all seem to think it is.

Exxon isn't as good as Rollins, obviously. Rollins, when healthy, will hit home runs, which Valdez will never do.

But who has been more valuable to the Phillies since 2008, Jayson Werth or Jimmy Rollins?

OPS+s:

Werth:

121
128
141

Rollins:

103
86
85

Games played:

Werth:

134
159
149

Rollins:

137
155
82

Rollins' trend lines are bad, you can win with a glove-only SS when you have good pitching, which the Phillies now definitely do, and Rollins is expensive, and will want another expensive contract after 2011.

We're not really talking about Exxon replacing Rollins. We're talking about whether to keep J-Roll or Werth. I am willing to take ownership on faith, now, when they say they are at their limit. Floppy has previously suggested the Phillies can afford Werth without shedding anyone, and maybe they can. But if they can't, and a choice needs to be made, well...

This isn't as crazy or stupid as you people seem to think.

At least there's a chance Rollins will be good.... Valdez is supposedly having a great year and he has a .650 OPS. He is terrible.

Rollins is making 7.5 million next year. Werth will make a minimum of double that. Plus he will have another 60 million on his contract. I know Sanchez would love to be a Phillies (I mean who wouldn't?) but I don't think he wants to play for free.

Look I'm not trying to downplay what Exxon has done -- he's been fantastic FOR WHAT HE'S BEEN ASKED TO DO, and as I brought up a few months ago, it doesn't hurt the perception that he's done really well that some of his hits have come in "clutch" situations.

But when you ask him to play 150 games as this team's starting shortstop, you're asking him to play far above his skill level at the plate.

It's far more difficult to find lightning in a bottle in terms of an adequate bat at SS than it is at a corner OF spot. Hell, PECOTA had pegged Francisco as more valuable than Ibanez this year (which didn't happen, but the point remains). The Phils have already exhausted their lightning with Valdez.

I like the guy, love his glove, and want him on the team next year, but if that means plugging him in the starting lineup, uhhh...

Rollins to the Dodgers for Kemp and Broxton
Prospects to the Rockies for Tulo

We're set

FTN wrote:Rollins to the Dodgers for Kemp and Broxton
Prospects to the Rockies for Tulo

We're set

The thought of the Phillies fixing Broxton after we broke him fills me with glee, and I don't mean the gay Fox show.

Broxton will be in the Atlantic League in 3 years.

All he has going for him is velocity on his fastball. No movement on it, and no breaking pitches. As soon as he can no longer throw at superhuman speed, he'll be done for in the majors.

Victorino (CF)
Polanco
Utley
Howard
Tulo
Brown/Ibanez
Kemp (RF)
Ruiz

decent. Though i guess Brown might have to go in the Tulo deal! Fuck

Swiggers wrote:Broxton will be in the Atlantic League in 3 years.

All he has going for him is velocity on his fastball. No movement on it, and no breaking pitches. As soon as he can no longer throw at superhuman speed, he'll be done for in the majors.

We can still make him better than Baez. We've got great role models for secondary pitches; Hamels and Madson's change, Lidges slidepieces, Doc's cutter and Os' curve.

bleh wrote:

One of the dumbest articles ever. And do they even check their facts? Valdez's minor average was .284, not .300.[/quote]

And Aaron Rowand's noodle arm sure won my heart.