In July he had an OBP of around .400 before he was sent down during a 20 game stretch. He went down because they got Pence and didnt want to get rid of Francisco.
As far Utley goes, he is not a .259 hitter. I dont expect him to regain the power he once head but I do think he will hit between .275-.290. He was coming off an injury last few years and I dont think that is as big as of a concern now.
Yeah, I agree. Utley is going to make a serious comeback. I doubt he'll be in the MVP conversation like he once was, but he's too good of a player and too much of a gamer to not bounce back.
Sad sad day indeed. When are we retiring his number?
But seriously, phillies wall of fame?
I think he is definitely a Phillies wall of fame guy. I think if he played his last couple seasons in Philly he would have been considered for retiring his number, only because of his association with the team winning its first WS in a thousand years. In a lot of ways "The Bat" was a disappointment, but in a lot of ways he was also one of their best players for a long time.
Apparently, Amaro is thinking of signing him to a one day deal so he can retire a Phillie. Would be awesome if he did.
Hopefully he'll want to retire as a Philly. The reception he got during the parade when the fans knew he wouldn't be back was legendary.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hextall89
Sad sad day indeed. When are we retiring his number?
But seriously, phillies wall of fame?
I'm not sure. I feel like he's kind of like a Kruk or someone like that. He'll certainly go down in the lore of the team's history, and be the answer to quite a few trivia questions, but didn't do quite enough. Dude had a lot of rough seasons.
Qualls, a 33-year-old righthander whose 512 appearances the last seven years are the most in the majors, gets a one-year deal worth $1.15 million. He will compete in spring training with Antonio Bastardo, Jose Contreras and possibly Mike Stutes to become the Phillies’ eighth-inning bridge to closer Jonathan Papelbon.
Qualls has pitched for Houston, Arizona, Tampa Bay and San Diego. He was 6-8 with a 3.51 ERA in 77 games for the Padres last year. He had a 1.96 ERA in his final 19 appearances.
Former Nationals first baseman Dmitri Young worked out for the Phillies according to ESPN's Jim Bowden, via Twitter.
"Dmitri Young worked out for the Phillies who said he showed Quick hands great foot work and his normal special bat speed...he's lost 75 lbs," Bowden tweeted.
The 38-year-old corner infielder/outfielder hasn't played in the majors since 2008 with the Nationals. He hit .280 with four homers in 50 games that season
Finally got around to getting my rally towel and ticket from the 2008 World Series framed. Really wish I did it earlier because the ticket is faded (still can see that it is from the 2008 World Series, but you really have to squint to get the seat number and such).
I think he is definitely a Phillies wall of fame guy. I think if he played his last couple seasons in Philly he would have been considered for retiring his number, only because of his association with the team winning its first WS in a thousand years. In a lot of ways "The Bat" was a disappointment, but in a lot of ways he was also one of their best players for a long time.
Chuck Klein, Grover Alexander, Richie Ashburn, Jim Bunning, Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton... Pat Burrell??
Dude could've played 20 more years in a Phils uniform, he still ain't joining that group, ever.
He'll be lucky to get on the wall of fame someday. He's below a lot of the current day players before he sees that wall.
Would you put Kruk in with that group? Because he's there too.
The group I listed is the retired numbers group, Kruk isn't in that group. And honestly, I'm not quite sure he belongs in the wall of fame group, but there were plenty of lean years for possible candidates, so I guess someone had to be voted in.
Last edited by healthyscratch: 02-03-2012 at 08:04 PM.
I was never really a Burrell fan. I can take or leave him being on the wall. He shouldn't go on before guys like Utley, Rollins, or Howard even if he retired first. The only way I'd do it before them is if they really couldn't find somebody to be on it who they know would show up and accept the honor.
Chuck Klein, Grover Alexander, Richie Ashburn, Jim Bunning, Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton... Pat Burrell??
Dude could've played 20 more years in a Phils uniform, he still ain't joining that group, ever.
He'll be lucky to get on the wall of fame someday. He's below a lot of the current day players before he sees that wall.
I hear what you are saying. I'm not saying he was as good as any of those guys, but I've had a similar discussion about retiring numbers with other people. It isn't always about stats etc. He was a long-time Phillie who helped them win a championship. If he had played his last two or three years here, I think he would have gotten some consideration. Not sure if he ever would have actually gotten it retired, but I think a lifetime Phillie who helped win the first championship in 20+ years would have gotten consideration. I think Rollins will definitely be up there when he retires and I think some of the other key pieces if they remain for a long portion of their career will get some good hard looks about this when all is said and done.
EDIT: Also this situation may not be the same as how the Flyers seem to handle things (HOF or nothing). The Phillies went a good 20+ years without having a player of any real significance retire. If they won in '93 I don't think it is out of the question that one or two of those guys got their number up there. Burrell was a big part of this team for a long time, even before the Phillies were good and people weren't watching. And again, I'm not saying he was as good as anyone whose number is retired now or even that he SHOULD be up there. I'm just saying I think he would have gotten some consideration.
Last edited by DrinkFightFlyers: 02-04-2012 at 07:46 AM.
Not sure if anyone here reads Katie Baker's mailbag over at Grantland, but it would appear as though Phillies reliever Michael Schwimer wrote in. Observe:
Quote:
My dad was born and raised in the heart of New York City. He is a diehard fan of the Yankees, Giants, and Knicks. Just like any other kid with a diehard New York sports fan dad, I was brainwashed from a very early age to live and die with New York sports. My dad and I bond the most over sports and going to events. We went to Lambeau Field for the 2007 NFC Championship game, and now to this Super Bowl.
Long story short, I got drafted by the Phillies, and got called up for a month and a half this past season. My love for the Yankees has disappeared but my love for the Giants and Knicks is as strong as ever. I also have fallen in love with the city of Philadelphia and truly believe they are the best baseball fans in the country. The last thing I ever want to do is lose support from these fans, but I love the Giants. So am I allowed to outwardly root for the G-MEN or do I have to keep that to myself because I happen to be employed by the Phillies?
— Michael S.
"Long Story Short, I Got Drafted by the Phillies" sounds like Bill Bryson's next work of participatory journalism (which I would excitedly preorder, obviously), but I'll also accept it as a throwaway line in my first mailbag letter from a professional athlete. Hello there! Not sure if you and/or anyone else watches Sister Wives, but it had a great reality show wrinkle in time a season or so back during which they spent numerous episodes agonizing about whether or not to "go public" with their polygamy — when, clearly, they obviously already had gone public or else how would I be watching them agonize about it on a show called Sister Wives in the first place, you know? Anyway, my point is, your question kind of reminds me of Sister Wives: You're already out in the open and now there's no point in hiding it.
Sooner or later, everyone has to learn that there are two types of sports fans: those who intrinsically understand that it's unreasonable to assume any particular athlete would have grown up as a fan of their team; and those who are certain to spit things like "He stinks. He's a Giants fan, what do you expect?" in angry earnest down the road. But regardless of whom you're dealing with, it's best at this point to remain gracious in victory, because it's hard to say how long it will endure. I say this not as any sort of reverse jinx, but rather because any fan of any NFC East team knows this much to be true: No one lasts too long on top. There's as good a chance as any that the Eagles could knock the Big Blue right down to size next season. And if/when that happens, it's going to be annoying enough without a horde of I-told-you-so-ing Philly fans getting all up in your face.
Here's a recent and relevant precedent that you can use in your favor, if needed: The Giants' own resident salsa dancer, Victor "they're not booing, they're saying" Cruuuuuz, not only outed himself as a longtime Cowboys fan this December, he did so in the most potentially damaging way possible: by lamenting how he "was pretty upset when we lost to the Giants a couple of years back when I was in college." That's right, He used the "loyal we." The sound bite made headlines, but Giants fans were secure enough to know it really wasn't that big a deal. And after the Giants won the Super Bowl, the New York Rangers' Brian Boyle, a noted New Englander, was revealed to have obviously engaged in a pro-Patriots bet. Rangers fans understood. So you've got leverage over Philly fans in that respect: If they give you any trouble, it's just proof that they're vastly inferior to their counterparts in New York. Let's go Mets!
I don't know why I found this interesting, but I did and decided to share it here. Hey, Mike, don't stop rooting for the team you grew up loving just because you're working in a different city. If anything, I'd hope the fans here respect you for staying loyal to your roots, even if you are a dirty Giants fan.
Not sure if anyone here reads Katie Baker's mailbag over at Grantland, but it would appear as though Phillies reliever Michael Schwimer wrote in. Observe:
I don't know why I found this interesting, but I did and decided to share it here. Hey, Mike, don't stop rooting for the team you grew up loving just because you're working in a different city. If anything, I'd hope the fans here respect you for staying loyal to your roots, even if you are a dirty Giants fan.
I should have amended my post to say that as long as he doesn't flaunt his allegiances like an inflammatory ******, he'll escape the wrath of the Philadelphia faithful.
I hear what you are saying. I'm not saying he was as good as any of those guys, but I've had a similar discussion about retiring numbers with other people. It isn't always about stats etc. He was a long-time Phillie who helped them win a championship. If he had played his last two or three years here, I think he would have gotten some consideration. Not sure if he ever would have actually gotten it retired, but I think a lifetime Phillie who helped win the first championship in 20+ years would have gotten consideration. I think Rollins will definitely be up there when he retires and I think some of the other key pieces if they remain for a long portion of their career will get some good hard looks about this when all is said and done.
EDIT: Also this situation may not be the same as how the Flyers seem to handle things (HOF or nothing). The Phillies went a good 20+ years without having a player of any real significance retire. If they won in '93 I don't think it is out of the question that one or two of those guys got their number up there. Burrell was a big part of this team for a long time, even before the Phillies were good and people weren't watching. And again, I'm not saying he was as good as anyone whose number is retired now or even that he SHOULD be up there. I'm just saying I think he would have gotten some consideration.
I'm following you and respect your opinion, but IMO retired numbers are for the all-time greats. While longevity and championships are important, in the end it's about your production while you were playing in that teams' uniform. Thats exactly why they have the wall of fame, to honor the good but-not-all time-great Phillies. When all is said and done I'm sure he will get onto the wall, but like others have said not before the Utleys and Rollins of this team.
"Don't be surprised if Vladimir Guerrero, Magglio Ordonez, Xavier Nady, or Manny Ramirez wind up with the Phillies. The Phillies really want to add a righthanded hitter who can pinch hit and occasionally play the outfield. However, they’re extremely close to luxury tax territory."
"Don't be surprised if Vladimir Guerrero, Magglio Ordonez, Xavier Nady, or Manny Ramirez wind up with the Phillies. The Phillies really want to add a righthanded hitter who can pinch hit and occasionally play the outfield. However, they’re extremely close to luxury tax territory."
Give me manny any day of the week. A motivated manny under charlie is worth the small risk.
He has to serve a 50 game suspension (which should be 100 but MLB is a bunch of *******). Not to mention it appears in recent years he has been a distraction to the team. And hasn't played in a year. I'd rather see Guerrero or Ordonez.
