Comments on: Ha, Ha… Damn: Roy Oswalt’s Phillies Debut http://thatballsouttahere.com/2010/07/31/ha-ha-damn-roy-oswalts-phillies-debut/ A Philadelphia Phillies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More Sun, 30 Dec 2012 06:18:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: bureaucratist http://thatballsouttahere.com/2010/07/31/ha-ha-damn-roy-oswalts-phillies-debut/#comment-1378 bureaucratist Sun, 01 Aug 2010 15:18:29 +0000 http://thatballsouttahere.com/?p=2225#comment-1378 I was incredibly angry when I wrote that post, obviously. You are right about Howard. Utley ... I'm not so sure. If he wasn't hurt during the long slump preceding the hand injury, then he just sucks. He is in his 30s; if that's the case, it's not unreasonable to believe that he's now well into the downside of his career. Better that he was hurt that whole time and not tell anyone, which is what I was hoping when I wrote that. But Manuel's devotion to Lidge? I no longer believe that can be defended, nor can the front office's devotion to landing a starter without so much as a thought about the bullpen. The Yankees gave up virtually nothing for Wood, and Cleveland is paying most of his salary. No similar move was available for the Phils? Look at WS winners the last twenty years--by far the most prominent common thread is a great bullpen. It was true for the Phils in '08. It is not true now. The inference is clear, and fills me with rage before it makes me sad. I was incredibly angry when I wrote that post, obviously. You are right about Howard. Utley … I’m not so sure. If he wasn’t hurt during the long slump preceding the hand injury, then he just sucks. He is in his 30s; if that’s the case, it’s not unreasonable to believe that he’s now well into the downside of his career. Better that he was hurt that whole time and not tell anyone, which is what I was hoping when I wrote that. But Manuel’s devotion to Lidge? I no longer believe that can be defended, nor can the front office’s devotion to landing a starter without so much as a thought about the bullpen. The Yankees gave up virtually nothing for Wood, and Cleveland is paying most of his salary. No similar move was available for the Phils? Look at WS winners the last twenty years–by far the most prominent common thread is a great bullpen. It was true for the Phils in ’08. It is not true now. The inference is clear, and fills me with rage before it makes me sad.

]]> By: Justin http://thatballsouttahere.com/2010/07/31/ha-ha-damn-roy-oswalts-phillies-debut/#comment-1377 Justin Sun, 01 Aug 2010 06:35:21 +0000 http://thatballsouttahere.com/?p=2225#comment-1377 Ryan's been the only one hitting the ball all season. For him to be flirting with .300 with an extended period of time is unheard of. I don't think Chase Utley's ever counted his reputation into a decision. Charlie's reliance on his gut instincts will sometimes make him appear foolish. The rest of that is accurate to different degrees. Ryan’s been the only one hitting the ball all season. For him to be flirting with .300 with an extended period of time is unheard of. I don’t think Chase Utley’s ever counted his reputation into a decision. Charlie’s reliance on his gut instincts will sometimes make him appear foolish.

The rest of that is accurate to different degrees.

]]> By: bureaucratist http://thatballsouttahere.com/2010/07/31/ha-ha-damn-roy-oswalts-phillies-debut/#comment-1376 bureaucratist Sun, 01 Aug 2010 00:25:28 +0000 http://thatballsouttahere.com/?p=2225#comment-1376 Here's why: Since the Tim Wakefield start, it's been an endless parade of: it's just a slump; he's a better player than this; the team is not as bad as it looks; it's only a matter of time before they put together a run; etc. etc. ad nauseam. And, until this last little run, it hasn't happened. Then, on a night when the Phillies should have been absolutely pumped with the arrival of Oswalt, they go out appearing as though they do not have any interest in being on a baseball field. It's not just that Roy pitched poorly (I personally like him more for the swear words); it's that tomorrow is August, Jimmy Rollins is a selfish prick, Ryan Howard can't put wood to ball, Werth is more slump than star, Utley cares more about his reputation for toughness than going on the disabled list to help the team, Cole Hamels is a baby, the bullpen is a sieve, Charlie Manuel is clueless (wouldn't have been a good idea to hold Oswalt's first start back until today?), and no one on the field ever gives any indication that they remember what winning baseball looks like. Throw Oswalt crapulence last night on top of all that ... and that's why people (like me) are panicking. Here’s why: Since the Tim Wakefield start, it’s been an endless parade of: it’s just a slump; he’s a better player than this; the team is not as bad as it looks; it’s only a matter of time before they put together a run; etc. etc. ad nauseam. And, until this last little run, it hasn’t happened. Then, on a night when the Phillies should have been absolutely pumped with the arrival of Oswalt, they go out appearing as though they do not have any interest in being on a baseball field. It’s not just that Roy pitched poorly (I personally like him more for the swear words); it’s that tomorrow is August, Jimmy Rollins is a selfish prick, Ryan Howard can’t put wood to ball, Werth is more slump than star, Utley cares more about his reputation for toughness than going on the disabled list to help the team, Cole Hamels is a baby, the bullpen is a sieve, Charlie Manuel is clueless (wouldn’t have been a good idea to hold Oswalt’s first start back until today?), and no one on the field ever gives any indication that they remember what winning baseball looks like. Throw Oswalt crapulence last night on top of all that … and that’s why people (like me) are panicking.

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