Master Index of Archived Threads


Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

Frayed Knot Apr 12 2012 07:52 PM

First road trip of the year Friday - 7:05 -- Dickey vs Lee Lee pitched 6 innings, 1 run on 2 hits, 4 Ks & 2 BBs vs Pitt in first start (ND) Saturday - 4:05 (NOT in the FOX game time slot) -- Niese vs Worley 6 innings, 1 run, 5 hits, 5 Ks, 1 BB vs Pitt (ND) Sunday - 1:05 -- Pelfrey vs Hamels 5.1 innings, 4 runs (3 earned), 8 hits, 9 Ks, 0 BBs vs Miami (L)

Edgy MD Apr 12 2012 08:51 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

Hi, I'm Carlos Ruiz, pudgy Panamanian catcher for your Philadelphia Phillies. I'm in my seventh season, all with the Phils, so you should kinda know me by now. I'm good for between five and ten homers a year, but I've started red hot (hitting .462 in my first five games) and already have my first homer logged (suck it, Ike Davis), but you can usually count on me for a .750-ish OPS. Decent, by catcher standards. Above average, even. My nickname is Chooch. You might think that has something to do with trains, but that probably is wrong. I'm a highly respected catcher and I caught Roy Halladay's perfect game. Probably a lot like Bob Boone, I think, and we're the only two starting catchers to win championships with the Phils in our 600-year history, so we've got that. Lately I've been moved up to the two-hole. And that's cool, because I don't strike out a lot, but maybe I'll hit into a lot of double plays there. Maybe? Hey there, while you're checking out lumpy catchers, get a load of me. i'm Brian Schneider, and I'll probably be catching Sunday. And yeah, my family has a toxic case of the cutes. And maybe that's why folks still want to keep me around. Seriously, if you can think of why I'm still holding down a job, please give me a call and let me know. Last year, I puked up an OPS of .502 which, frankly, is embarrassing even for me. And that's saying something. I don't care if you're Johnny Bench back there behind the plate, that's not getting it done. And (again) frankly, I'm not Johnny Bench. Cute kid, though, right? When I try to pick a runner off, I throw it down to first, where it's caught by...

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 12 2012 09:14 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

...Ty Wigginton, most of the time. Other times, he waits till it stops rolling and picks it up. 2012 marks Ty Wigginton's 11th season in big league ball and the Phillies are his 7th team. Despite being a pretty bad fielder for a regular -- he was the last Mets' everyday 3Bman till Wright came around -- he's made a living as a versatile guy who can fill in around the infield or start for a bad team, which is how he got to be a cumpulsory All-Star representing the Orioles in 2010. The amazin thing I'd like to share about Wiggs is that he delivered his own son, Cannon, when Wifey Angela went into rapid labor back in 2007. I don't think I knew that. He's filling in for Howard and maybe also Utley for these Phils. Hit his first HR today off Burhle and is at .167 overall. And now that we know who's on first... what's on second?

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 12 2012 09:29 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

WordUpThome: ALSO I'M HERE TO PLAY FIRST BASE/MOST AWWSOME HITTER WordUpThome: JUST SO LONG AS I DONT HAVE TOO MOV WordUpThome: E WordUpThome: /pulls oblique muscle while hitting "enter"

batmagadanleadoff Apr 12 2012 09:46 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

Edgy MD Apr 12 2012 09:46 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: The amazin thing I'd like to share about Wiggs is that he delivered his own son, Cannon, when Wifey Angela went into rapid labor back in 2007. Don't panic, son! We're coming to help!

batmagadanleadoff Apr 12 2012 10:01 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

What's on Second? Who cares. Here's a link to Esquire magazine's Eater on-line guide to eating at Citizen's Bank Park. http://philly.eater.com/archives/2012/0 ... illies.php The Schmitter Chickey and Pete's crab fries with white cheese sauce

Ceetar Apr 12 2012 10:22 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

Love Chickie and Petes. Haven't been there since early 2007 when Phillies fans were hoping prospects would come up soon and make them good. pfffft.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 12 2012 10:26 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

The Schmitter isn't THAT good, but it's good. At the keystone, Il Douche-eh Chase Utley is sidelined indefinitely with a severe case of Strained Bodyfallapart, replaced by [crossout]Placido Polanco's teenage son[/crossout] Venezuelan [crossout]wunderkind[/crossout] guy with a glove/walking metaphor for the Philly sport-fan's inner life Freddy Galvis. Has two hits in nineteen plate appearances this season-- both 2-run doubles. Will eventually put up OPS/wOBA/runs-created numbers to rival a one-armed long-reliever who skips BP. They may actually miss Oil Spill. Like, really. Is there an actual shortstop here, or do they just prop up some overpriced has-been there?

Gwreck Apr 13 2012 05:40 AM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15 Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Apr 13 2012 07:38 AM

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Is there an actual shortstop here, or do they just prop up some overpriced has-been there? Some of category A, some of category B. Jimmy signed a 3 year extension (plus a complicated vesting option for a fourth year) in the offseason at $11 M/year. In fairness, 2011 was his best season (3.7 WAR) since that year that they gave him David Wright's MVP award by mistake. He had 40 extra base hits last year, stole 30 and still played reasonable defense. But he's 33 years old now and seems unlikely to be improving. Things I learned from Baseball reference: Jimmy and Tony Tarasco are cousins.

Frayed Knot Apr 13 2012 07:27 AM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

HI, I'm [crossout]Enrico Polazzo[/crossout] er, Placido Polanco and I'll be your enemy 3rd baseman this weekend. So far this season I'm sporting all of 5 singles and a walk although it's not like I hit for much power or take a lot of walks normally. However I still have a good glove and am consistent enough to rack up 500+ PAs every season since 2001 except for 2006 in Detroit and even then I had 495. On the other hand, I turned 36 just 5 days after my over-grown 1st baseman was seen flopping around on the ground between home & 1st, a moment which signaled the end of our embarrassing dismissal by the vastly inferior Cardinals so maybe the 22 & 47 point drops in my BA & SLG numbers last year as compared to the season before were merely the sign of baseball seasons yet to come.

TheOldMole Apr 13 2012 07:29 AM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

Could the Mets sweep? Strange things happen in this world. [youtube:2yciwy17]M0N4nyYS5aA[/youtube:2yciwy17]

MFS62 Apr 13 2012 08:19 AM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

TheOldMole wrote: Could the Mets sweep? Strange things happen in this world. Not any more. I fear the old "never say it before it happens" jinx. Later

Frayed Knot Apr 13 2012 10:58 AM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

I bet a lot of baseball fans are surprised to find, me, Juan Pierre, roaming left-field for the Phightins instead of one of those young guys they've got like John Mayberry Jr or Domonic Brown. Well, actually, me and Mayberry have split the six starts out there so far while the highly touted Brown is a Lehigh Valley Iron Pig (and I mean that literally) where he's barely hitting my weight. In case you've lost track of me recently, I've spent the last two seasons on the south side of Chicago doing my usual OK hitting (.277/.335) with little power while getting thrown out stealing far too often (27 steals in 44 attempts last year) and playing only so-so defense for someone with my supposed speed. And now that I'm due to turn 35 this summer my legs might be going the way of my already noodle arm. Not that Mayberry's doing much better, but I don't like to say anything bad about him seeing as he's like a foot taller and 75 heavier than me. Let's just say I root for him to play 1B instead. While next to me/us in CF is ...

Ashie62 Apr 13 2012 12:32 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

Hi, I'm Pat Burrell and I'm signing a one day contract to retire as a Phillie..

Edgy MD Apr 13 2012 02:10 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

But you're not playing centerfield, gorgeous, so pipe down and let the real ballplayers tell the story. Say aloha, Dude. I'm Shane Victorino. I patrol Maddoxland for the 3-3 Phils, and have been doing it for over half a decade now. I get to do the leadoff hitting that Jimmy Rollins is being paid for, but whatever. I'm 31 and had my best year last season and still gots my wheels when I needs them (16 trips in 2011). My defense has been falling off, though. "The Flyin' Hawaiian" is a pretty good nickname, but "The Pineapple Express" is stupid and when I hear it, it makes me feel like I'm going to be traded to the Yankees so John Sterling can call me that over and over. Like Rollins, I also have a big-league cousin, Cincinnati pitcher Kanekoa Texeira.

Edgy MD Apr 13 2012 02:23 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

I like to do that surfer thing with my fingers: And going out for the evening, to me, means decking myself out like Tony Manero: I rock! Way more than that guy in right field. What's his name again?

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 13 2012 02:31 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

I learned in Hawaii that that surfer thing is called "shaka" and is used instead of a nod-n-wave or "cheers" or "thanks" when, for example, being granted a lane to merge with traffic.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 13 2012 02:37 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

We ate at this joint near South Point on Hawaii island. Run down, sketchy locals giving you the stink-eye, but the beer was cold and the homemade hot sauce was hot.

TransMonk Apr 13 2012 02:40 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

Per his (outdated) website, RF Hunter Pence gives fairly boring info about himself: "My interests off the field of baseball consist of a variety of activities. I enjoy spending time with my family as much as possible. Being around those who love and support me no matter what happens is always a blessing in my opinion. I enjoy watching movies, listening to music of all varieties, eating at new restaurants, playing video games with my friends, and playing ping-pong. I am extremely competitive and thrive on finding activities that are interactive and challenging. His girlfriend is a Slott...Lindsay Slott.

Ceetar Apr 13 2012 02:41 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

I missed that place I guess. That's along one of the 'towns' along the main highway?

Ceetar Apr 13 2012 02:48 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

Hunter Pence plays right field.He's been a pretty solid outfielder for the Astros before being acquired last year by the Phillies for Jarred Cosart (minors), Jonathan Singleton (minors) and Josh Zeid (minors). He's making 10 million and arb eligible for the final time next year. He played well above his ability last year for the Phillies, and is off to a hot start this year, b ut will probably settling in somewhere in the low .800s range for OPS with 20-25 HR. He used to be good for 10-20 SB and atl east half as many CS, but he didn't really run last year. Probably realized he wasn't actually good at it. B-R credits him as being slightly below average defensively, but he is fast. He's a Twitter guy and today's his birthday. hunterpence3 wrote: And yes I bought some bacon! and bah, I missed the Pence part above. screw it.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 13 2012 02:54 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

I missed that place I guess. That's along one of the 'towns' along the main highway? Yes, outside of the ring road about halfway between Hilo and Kona. There's a big bakery across the street that seems to get a lot of tourists. This joint was alongside one of the most rundown shopping centers I'd ever been in. There was a grocery store and thrift store and I think a laundromat that were practically falling over. Reminded me of the serious poverty you see between the gated resorts in places like Jamaica. Bonus KTE Material: Righty reliever Mike Stutes hasn't given up a run yet in 3 appearances. No word on whether he's found a place to live yet. Mike Stutes ? @mikestutes Reply Retweet Favorite · Open I'm looking for a place in Philly for the upcoming season, ideally with 3 bedrooms. Anyone know of anything?

Ceetar Apr 13 2012 03:01 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

Did you drive down to South Point? That was a weird drive of abandoned fields and windmills. damn you Victorino for derailing the thread btw. PHillies closer Jon Papelbon, has vowed to change his warm up music for every game.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 13 2012 03:22 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

Two Pence previews, and neither one mentions anything about how his fifteen-year mission to observe humankind from within is going? For shame.

Frayed Knot Apr 13 2012 03:43 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

Hunter Pence still moves like a new-born colt. His limbs never look quite under control. Papelbon has made three appearances so far: - A perfect 3 out/10 pitch save in a game where the Phils were just up by 1 - A one-run (HR) 9th in a just-to-get-work game where the Phils were already down by 3 before he came in - A somewhat shaky save vs Miami just yesterday with the Phils up by 2 [single, pop-out, single, GiDP] And he's by far the most annoying reliever to watch. He has that whole breath/think/stare/stretch and finally ... pitch routine where 30 seconds per pitch is his norm and it can get worse than that.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 13 2012 03:49 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15 Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Apr 13 2012 03:59 PM

Pitching Saturday's game in between Messrs. Lee and Hamels is half-Chinese (via HK), vaguely Brolin-esque sophomore Vance Worley. The spectacles aren't the only sharp offering from Mr. Worley; In 131 2/3 innings last year, he struck out 119 (a LOT looking, as he posted a way-low 5 percent swinging-strike rate), and both his late-cutting fastball and nifty slider grade out as above-average pitches. He's never posted that high a K-rate in any full minors season, though, and he gives up a LOT of flyballs (39.9%) for a guy who only let up 10 HRs, so some regression could be expected. Then again, he's also supposedly been working on a new "split-change" gleaned from Doc Halladay, and looked great in his first start so maybe... well, ugh, let's think of more pleasant things. [Flips through pitching matchups] [Sees Pelfrey-Hamels on Sunday] [Returns to thinking about Worley potentially being better this year]

TransMonk Apr 13 2012 03:51 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 13 2012 03:58 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

He DID get smacked around-- 12 hits, 8 R (5 earned) in 3 innings-- during his first start* against the men of Flushing, on a Sunday last April. Must've thought it was Half-White-Boy Day. *Only to dominate in his latter three appearances against 'em (3 runs and just 18 baserunners in 20 innings)

Edgy MD Apr 13 2012 04:35 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

"My interests off the field of baseball consist of a variety of activities. I enjoy spending time with my family as much as possible. Being around those who love and support me no matter what happens is always a blessing in my opinion. I enjoy watching movies, listening to music of all varieties, eating at new restaurants, playing video games with my friends, and playing ping-pong. I am extremely competitive and thrive on finding activities that are interactive and challenging." If that's not an alien imitating the written expressions of human earthlings, I don't know what.

Ceetar Apr 13 2012 04:40 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

Don't forget that the Mets own Hamels.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 13 2012 06:21 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

Ceetar wrote: Don't forget that the Mets own Hamels. As do both Raymour and Flannigan, apparently.

Fman99 Apr 13 2012 07:07 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

Nice knowledge, gang. You forgot the real enemy here. Forty five thousand screaming Pennsylvania residents with a sixth grade education and a penchant for vomiting on and verbally abusing visiting fans, and otherwise spreading disgust like a biblical plague of locusts.

Frayed Knot Apr 13 2012 07:50 PM Re: Group KTE - @ Phils 4/13-4/15

Fman99 wrote: Nice knowledge, gang. You forgot the real enemy here. Forty five thousand screaming Pennsylvania residents with a sixth grade education and a penchant for vomiting on and verbally abusing visiting fans, and otherwise spreading disgust like a biblical plague of locusts. There's no way all 45,000 of them got through sixth grade.