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Lack of .300 hitters may be a coaching philosophy in Philadelphia?

Written by Mike Mariano | 22 September 2009

The last time a Phillies starter batted over .300 was in 2007.  Chase Utley batted a phenomenal .332 and Aaron Rowand had a career year at .309.  Since then, there have been zero guys in two years if 2009 continues down the path that it is currently on.  In 2008, Utley and Victorino finished at .292 & .293 respectively.  This year, Victorino is the only chance the team has at a .300 and he's got a good chance at it.  Sitting at .297 with over 10 games to play, it could easily happen.  However, they are one of the few teams in the league to have this, the Braves are the only other winning team without a .300 guy.  Also, they are only the second team this decade to win the World Series without one (the 2005 White Sox being the other).

Now my question is, why?  Is it a coaching philosophy or mere coincidence?  The Phillies offense has hit more home runs 30 more home runs than any other NL team.  Only the Yankees and Rangers have clubbed more as teams.  The Phillies made it through the playoffs and won the World Series almost essentially off the long ball (offensively at least).  The team has some good runners, but largely it's all about the big bop.  Get a few guys on and swing for the fence.  Ryan Howard is the obvious case.  I don't think the Phillies care if he hits .240 as long as he hits 40 home runs.  They'd love .280, no doubt, but it's the 40-50 home runs that they really care about.  But what about everybody else?

This might surprise, but I think most of the lineup is under a similar mandate.  I've heard many stories from kids I've known in the minors who were told by their teams, "hey, .300 is great, but we'd much rather 25-30 homers."  That is most likely the mindset of Ibanez, Werth, and Utley at least.  Rollins & Victorino, maybe not, but first half sucktitude is the reason that Rollins didn't hit .300.  That leaves Chuuch & Feliz.  Neither guy is a particularly pure hitter or a plus power guy.  In Feliz's case, he absolutely gets the call to look for the long ball and Chuuch is something similar.  The team knows Ruiz won't hit over .260-.270, so why not swing for the deep ball?

I'm not saying that the team tells guys to screw the averages and hit homers, but the preaching is much more about driving balls into the stands and much less about spraying the ball around the field.  That mandate (or whatever you'd like to call it) would/does go a long way toward lowering the averages to rise the home run numbers.

The sub-.300 phenomenon might have something to do with the type of players also, but plenty of these guys are more than capable of .300 seasons.  Chase Utley, Ibanez, & Victorino are definitely guys who can get it done.  I don't mean to slight the difficulty of hitting .300 in the major leagues but these guys have displayed the ability to make it happen.  I think the team preaches home runs and the averages suffer because of it.  However, the brand new rings the Phillies are sporting shows that it is hardly a problem.


Did Shane leave last night's game to poop?

Written by Mike Mariano | 18 September 2009

phillies21Shane Victorino mysteriously left last night's game in the seventh inning, being pinch-hit for by Raul Ibanez.  I tried to figure out the purpose while at the game, but largely couldn't put it together.  Defensive replacement? Hell no.  Injury?  Didn't appear to be.  Matchup?  Shane is a switch hitter.  Find at-bats for the bench?  Raul's not a bench guy.  So what then?

Well in the game recap, it is noted that Shane left the game because of "gastrointestinal illness".

So... Shane left the game because he really had to sit on the toilet?  Sweet.  That must happen a lot in baseball games and you never hear about it.  3-4 hours in some of the longer game could definitely be a problem for some guys who didn't take care of business before the game.  Do you think they list this emergency bowel movement as gastrointestinal illness to cover it up or is Shane really battling the stomach flu?  Who knows.  He got a full-fledged injury marker on ESPN today that says he's planning on flying with the team to play tonight in the ATL.  Business as usual.  Sounds a lot like a poop cover up to me.

King Cole Reigns unmercifully against the Nationals

Written by Mike Mariano | 18 September 2009

Cole Hamels PitchingThe change-up was out in full force last night and Nationals hitters had little to know answer for it.  Hamels went eight innings, holding a no-no through five(ish) and when the Nats did get their one run off Cole it was a combination of bloops and dinks to scratch one across.  Cole's dominance solely against bad, bad, teams continues, however the change-up he was throwing last night is going to baffle most big league hitters.

I was in the ballpark for the game in section 431, I swear there isn't a bad seat in the house.  The normally drunken upper deck squad was abnormally tame, which is strange since it was Irish night or something similar at the ballpark.  That we call a paradox.  Even from my high seat, the change-up was incredible to watch.  Cole sat around 88-90 with his fastball, but that must have seemed like 96-97 with the bugs-bunny change-ups he had working.  Floating in at 78-82, the change was too tough for the Nats (they are the Nats...).  First pitch, ahead, behind, for the strikeout, it didn't matter, Cole was throwing it all game at any time.  I don't know if he threw more than 5 breaking pitches the entire game.  I was paying attention and I don't recall seeing one.  That only makes the fastball-change-up combo more impressive because you have to know it's coming.  Our ace is slowly finding his way...

Then You-Know-Who came in for the save.  I think I counted 9, "Oh fuck..."'s when Lidge came out for the ninth.  The fans are having some trust issues with Brad right now, but can you blame them?  Hell no.  But Lidge got the job done.  Willingham hit a deep fly out to center.  Then Elijah Dukes tripled to right center, but to be fair, if Victorino hadn't left the game in the seventh that ball probably gets caught.  But the combo of Werth (CF) and Francisco (RF) instead of Shane and Werth was probably the difference in the ball being caught.  Dukes scored on an infield ground out and then Lidge got the final out and the save.  The only problem Lidge had was in the pitch count.  I think every batter saw 5-6 pitches at least.  I don't know if Lidge two back-to-back strikes more than once, when Willingham had a full count and fouled a few pitches off.  Good, not great for Lidge but right now, we'll take that and call it a day.

Rethinking... Lidge HAS to be the closer this season

Written by Mike Mariano | 15 September 2009

Brad LidgeI know I said earlier this week that Ryan Madson is the new closer and he should be.  However, now that I think about it, that was a misguided conclusion.  This series against the Mets proves that, the game where Madson blew the save especially.  Obviously a blown save isn't good, however I'm not upset about the actually pitching performance from Madson.  The problem lies within the current expectations of the Phillies closer.  After last season's perfection and this season's miscues, the job comes with tremendous pressure.  Anyone who fills in for Lidge is expected to be perfect and will be straining to battle the situation in game and in the stands.

Ryan Madson and Brett Myers are the other two closers candidates and I think it would be costly to the team to have them take over as "closer" and assume Lidge's responsibilities.  Neither guy has a reputation of being particularly rock-solid mentally and the added stress of being perfect every time out could lead to inconsistent play and more guys struggling out of the pen.

That is why Brad Lidge is only guy who can be the closer for the Phillies right now.  When Lidge comes out, the feeling is that he will blow it, therefore he's under less pressure from the fans.  He only has to overcome the pressures in his own head, which I don't mean to downplay because in his case they are extensive.  Lidge can go from Mariano-Rivera-like to head-case in less that a year and the transition from '08 to '09 is the second time in his career that it has happened.  The trend is there and we as fans need to learn from it.  The two times that Lidge melted down, it was following a brilliant season closing games.  Once for the Astros, then when he was perfect for the Phillies and perfect in the playoffs.  In the next seasons he came back and tried to be perfect with every pitch, which is impossible.  Next thing you know, he can't get out of his own way.  That is his situation, his way, take it or leave it.

It's a delicate situation right now.  Lidge is putting way to much presser on himself and getting way to fired up on the mound to pitch effectively.  However, that same intensity is what makes him a dominant closer when he has got it under control.  I maintain the thought that he needs some time off, but that already failed once this season and most likely isn't possible.  In short, if I'm Charlie and Dubee, I tell Lidge, "Go out there and just throw, I don't care what happens.  Win, Lose, doesn't matter, just compete."  Because in truth, it doesn't matter.  The team can make the playoffs without Lidge at his best, but the team can't win the World Series again without him.

Phillies sweep double header over Mets and win series 3-1

Written by Mike Mariano | 14 September 2009

The disaster season for Mets continues and this time at the hands of the Phillies.  The Mets did sneak out a win with a Ryan Madson blown save, but the next day a double header sweep knocked them back down again.  The final game had to really hurt for Mets fans.  Pedro went 8 innings of shut-out baseball and was dominant for the Phillies after being nearly useless for almost three years as a Met.  Ouch.  Also Madson shut it down to get another save.  The closer job is still a mess, but a save is a save.  In the first game of Sunday's double, the Mets almost scratched another win off a blown save, but Brad Lidge shut the door after almost letting the Mets tie the game.  He got a save, but it was a weak one at best.  Lidge is on the bend, don't break plan right now and in that game he couldn't have come much closer to breaking and blowing it.  A pleasant surprise at the least.

The Mets pitching wasn't horrible in this series (with the exception of game 3, but Jamie Moyer kept them in it), but the offense routinely just wasn't enough.  There were some good things for the Mets like Josh Thole's 4-4 in game 3 and this point in the season that's all the Mets should be looking for.  Slow progress.  Young guys growing and getting better and guys playing hard.  The playoffs are long gone and half these guys won't be playing next year anyway.

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