Phast Phive: Just Phorget It

With so many questions on the horizon, and also being asked currently, it was nice to see the Phillies had an answer to something this week.  Or, were an answer.  On Jeopardy.  Except that I guess with Jeopardy, they were the question, and Roy Halladay was the answer.  As usual.

So basically, nothing was done.

Let’s move on.

Justin Klugh

You want answers from this 1-3 defending division champion team?  Hey, here’s one: Let’s have Jimmy Rollins lead off!  See, that’s just the sort of innovation that could bring a struggling roster out of the dumps and into the magical world of hitting the baseball with more than a tiny bit of success.

But hey; at least we’re not the only ones suffering.  Everybody is hanging their heads in shame or misery right now, except for the Mets, but as always, you’ve got to figure it’s only going to be a matter of time.

Ah, there it is.

John Ricco

Of course, there’s a bit of bias involved, but two Phillies made Michael Baumann’s list of top 10 must-see players. Surprisingly enough, they weren’t part of our star-studded elite offense, and rather from our problematic pitching staff.

Remember that time when Charlie decided not to use Jonathon Papelbon in those really low-leverage Pirates games so that he could save him for that super important high-leverage inning in the Marlins game? Yeah, Bill Bear explains why that, well, probably wasn’t a good idea.

Ethan Seidel

Looks like Cliff Lee pulled a party foul with Philadelphians. Lee and his family were seen regularly at the Lombard St. Swim Club, which has ticked off many who have been on the wait list for years. I understand folks being upset over preferential treatment given to others, but this is Cliff Lee. I think finishing 3rd in Cy Young voting earns you the right to be first in line for local swimming hole.

John C. Mitchell over at MLB dirt is ringing the alarm bells like most Phillies after the 1-3 start. While things are sure to turn around for the team, John takes a look at what the team could look like next year if Victorino and Hamels jump ship, and lets just say it doesn’t look pretty.

Tony DiStefano

Nostaglia can be a wonderful thing. Remember when everyone wasn’t hurt and the Phillies could all hit home runs? Me too. This list catches us up on where a bunch of Phillies players will rank as the season progresses. Personally, I can’t wait until Papelbon passes Urbina on the all time saves list. Do you think he murders a man in celebration?

At least the Braves got swept by the Mets. Nothing like taking solace in another team’s heartbreak.

John Stolnis

A lot of focus has been on the Phillies signing Cole Hamels to a big contract extension. Something in the neighborhood of 6-7 years and $110-120 million, right? Maybe a little less or a little more here or there? Well, with news that Mets 3B David Wright is going to miss a few games because of a fractured pinkie finger got me thinking. If Wright’s value gets driven down far enough, would he be someone the Phils would consider trading for at the deadline?

That is, if the Mets are considering dealing him at all. Frankly, given the state of the offense, I’m starting to think it might make more sense to devote more of that cash to improving the lineup, instead of selling the farm for Hamels. I’m not saying Wright is definitely the guy, because it’s always a risk bringing a guy on board who has had a broken back, and can’t seem to stay healthy. But the availability of Wright, and the complete disappearance of power from the Phillies lineup, is making me rethink my obsession with getting Hamels resigned.

And congratulations to the Cincinnati Reds for locking up 2B Brandon Phillips to a six-year contract extension on Tuesday. The deal will take Phillips through his age 36 season and comes on the heels of monster deals for both Joey Votto and Jay Bruce. And while the Reds do have a nice core, it’s strange to see them commit so many years and so many dollars to a group of players that have appeared in the playoffs just one time, and were swept in that series by the Phils in 2010.

Not only that, have they not been watching what the Phillies have been doing lately? Signing so many players into the mid-to-late 30s is going to bite them in the butt, unless they get a World Series victory out of it. And let’s face it, that’s just unlikely.