Big, big changes. Just like they promised!

(Iceberg? What iceberg?)

it better be that third base coach

what's the record for runners thrown out at home in a single season

Grotewold wrote:

BigEd76 wrote:btw Gillick told Cooney in an interview today that Rube is staying because Cole and Cliff were hurt. Great

This is the actual quote (which followed a fully positive appraisal of Sandberg, fwiw)

Ruben, under the circumstance… I said that everyone has injuries. He had a couple of rough ones. Hey, he had to replace people like Hamels and Lee. Those are things that he’s had to work through. But as I said at the beginning of our talk, I definitely think that we have to make changes. We have to get younger and we have to get more athletic. We have to turn this ship in a different direction now.

We need to get more ballplayeric.

JFLNYC wrote:Big, big changes. Just like they promised!

(Iceberg? What iceberg?)

Offseason's almost over, yeah

Should get some Decathletes. They are generally young and athletic.

Soren wrote:

drsmooth wrote:

Soren wrote:

The Dude wrote:he's the opposite of billy beane

Total package

Total envelope?

one is the container, the other is the thing you stuff into the container.

we agree!

Woody wrote:Eskin was on the morning show with what I fear might be the new leaked-to-the-press company line: that Amaro has not been given total freedom and that most of the bad moves were not necessarily his fault. And that he deserves another year or two with total control to fix things. On Howard contract: "Well, Proefrock is the numbers guy, he put that deal together..." On Utley and Howard extentions: "Ruben was TOLD to make sure they stayed Phillies." I can't tell if this is just Eskin being an idiot, him defending a guy he likes personally--or both-- or him espousing the new mantra to defend the status quo. I could give more detail but it's frankly too nauseating

But Ruben sure had no problem standing out there and taking the credit when he was wielding the harpoon

ReadingPhilly wrote:all coaches asked to return.

The coaches asked to return or the coaches were asked to return?

latter

-- Revere had surgery to remove the screws from his ankle. He'll be in a walking boot for 2 weeks
-- Chooch had minor arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder. Rehab immediately and he'll be back in Philly next month for a checkup
-- An MRI on Friday showed Lee's flexor tendon is healing, and he'll start a full throwing program next month
-- Burnett's hernia surgery is being scheduled

Sounds like the Phils will all be in the best shape of their lives come springtime.

BigEd76 wrote:-- Chooch had minor arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder

Took the liberty of sending sacks of Cold Stone

"love, BSG"

what if we just cut Howard? has something like that ever happened?

CalvinBall wrote:what if we just cut Howard? has something like that ever happened?

How much like that does it have to be to be like that? Braves released Uggla this season, while still owed about (or only) $20 million. Is that like that?

Gelb chat gave me a sad

swishnicholson wrote:

CalvinBall wrote:what if we just cut Howard? has something like that ever happened?

How much like that does it have to be to be like that? Braves released Uggla this season, while still owed about (or only) $20 million. Is that like that?

similarish. also who howard is and what he has done in a phillies uniform i think matters, at least from perception.

Just have the press conference with Rube on the stand crying with Howard next to him. Allow Howard to say goodbye and ride off into the sunset. Then let Franco/Ruf/Utley play 1st with Galvis spelling Utley at 2B at times. It won't create a playoff team by any stretch but it will start the ball rolling in the direction of progress and away from the black hole it's headed towards today.

CFP wrote:Gelb chat gave me a sad

Highlights:

--They could fill the scouting director job internally, assuming Amaro is not being fired/extended

--Nola is on track to be up in July if all goes well

--Howard will probably not be here next year, one way or another

--Franco will be here in April, probably at 3B. In Gelb's opinion, Asche is better off in an expanded Dobbs role

I take issue with that last one, which he predicates on some of Franco's value "being wasted" at 1B. He said the same about Revere in LF (since he's not a power hitter) and Utley at 1B. But to me the bottom line is to bring as much new talent to the team as possible and then put your best combination of eight players out there. Not any one guy's WAR

Is Ashe just too stone hands or unathletic to play 2nd? His bat would play so much better there.

laf837 wrote:Is Ashe just too stone hands or unathletic to play 2nd? His bat would play so much better there.

I thought that's where he started, but Gelb said they tried him there after the draft and it didn't go well. But he also says scouts continue to talk up Cesar Hernandez's bat, as bad as it's looked up here