Heard in the Cheap Seats

The woes of the Phillies starting rotation continue, even on an off day.  Word came down today that Brett Myers’ injured hip could require surgery and may end his 2009 season.  Not exactly the kind of news anyone surrounding the Phillies wanted to hear.  We all know that the starting pitching has been terrible so far this season, but Myers had been the best of the bunch so far.  So, this poses the question:  What now?

Well, even before this news broke, I was of the opinion that the Phillies needed to acquire at least one and possibly two quality starters.  If it turns out that Myers is shelved for the season, there is no doubt that the Phillies have to make at least one move.  No one can convince me otherwise.   As it stands right now, the rotation without Myers would look like this: Hamels, Blanton, Moyer, Happ, and a yet undetermined fifth starter.  That fifth starter could be Kyle Kendrick or Carrasco.  I am not sure what direction the Phillies will go in there.  Is anyone comfortable with that rotation?  Now, I understand that a move might not be possible immediately, but I don’t believe the Phillies can afford to wait too long.  These are the defending World Champions.  They cannot sit around and see if Kendrick or Carrasco will pan out as quality starters.  If they do, they may find themselves at the bottom of a mountain that is too high to climb.  I mean, seriously, the starters were the worst in the NL with Myers!  I know there are people out there of the opinion that the Phillies should give Happ, Carrasco, and Kendrick their shots.  I disagree completely.  There isn’t time to sit around and see what you have with those guys.  Realistically, the ceiling on any of them is a serviceable 4^th starter, at least right now.  That means, the Phillies have Cole Hamels and not much else at the moment. 

 It is hard to say at this point what pitchers are available for the right price.  Could Jake Peavy or Erik Bedard be had?  That remains to be seen.  Maybe Brett Myers doesn’t have surgery, but even then he becomes a huge question mark in a rotation already filled with them.  All I know is that the Phillies need to do something and I’m sure they will.  We just have to wait and see what that something is, but you can bet they are already blowing up the phones of general managers around the league. 

I guess I have been pretty slow on getting this post up, but then again, I am following the same deliberate pace that Ed Stefanski is in the search for the new Sixers coach.  I have stated before that the hiring of the next head coach is vital to the growth of the organization.  The Sixers simply cannot afford to screw this one up again.  We have seen that Stefanski has absolutely no problem making decisions, so the fact that his search will probably take a little while is a clear indicator that he fully realizes the importance of getting this one right.  It’s been interesting so far, and will likely continue to be before the process is all said and done.  What I wanted to do here is simple:  I will never pretend to be a reporter, so I have no inside information, but I wanted to take a look at who the Sixers have already interviewed or are at least rumored to be interested in and give you my personal opinion based rankings on whether or not they would be a good fit for the team.  My rankings are from 1-10, 10 meaning I would love to see them on the sidelines and 1 meaning I might put my head thru a wall if he is hired.  At the end, I will tell you who I think will end up being hired regardless of my rankings.

JAY WRIGHT

Resume: Obviously, most people around the Philly area have become very familiar with Wright.  Wright has been a head coach in Division one basketball for 15 seasons (7 with Hofstra and 8 with Villanova), and taken his teams to 7 NCAA tournaments.  He just made his first appearance in the Final Four this past season with Villanova.  His career head coaching record is 300-175.

News: Wright did the polite thing and accepted an interview with Stefanski and then notified the Sixers he was not interested in the position. 

My thoughts: It is a good sign for Wright that his name is already at least being discussed in some NBA circles.  I highly doubt Stefanski was serious about hiring Wright, however.  I have always felt that Wright has the type of personality that could work with NBA players, but the reality is he has no track record.  That isn’t what the Sixers need right now.  In 5 years, I may feel differently about Jay Wright and the Sixers, but if they had hired him this season I may not have put my head thru a wall, but I might have come close.

Ranking: 2

CHRIS FORD

Resume: Ford played 10 seasons in the NBA and won a title as a player with the Celtics.  He has been an NBA head coach for 8 full seasons and parts of 2 other seasons for four different teams (Celtics, Bucks, Clippers, and Sixers).  He led the Celtics to the playoffs in four out of 5 seasons that he was the head coach.  Ford has compiled a record of 323-376 in the regular season and 13-16 in the playoffs.  He has been an NBA assistant for both the Sixers and Celtics and is currently a scout for the Sixers.

News: We haven’t really heard much other than that he did interview for the position.

My thoughts: Well, I have never been a big fan of Chris Ford.  He was the Sixers interim coach and we all remember how great he got along with Allen Iverson.  Ford has been a part of the Sixers organization for awhile and knows the players, but at this juncture they need to go in a different direction.  I don’t want any recycling of past Sixers coaches, unless it’s Billy Cunningham or Larry Brown.  If he is hired, which is doubtful, the Sixers will almost certainly be looking for yet another head coach next season.  Another one that would be close to my precious dome crashing thru drywall.

Ranking: 1.5

DWANE CASEY

Resume: Casey played ball at Kentucky and then served as an assistant coach for 5 years under Clem Haskins at Western Kentucky and 5 years under Eddie Sutton at Kentucky.  He then spent 5 years as a head coach in Japan and would later coach the national team for Japan.  Casey spent 11 seasons as an assistant for the Sonics under George Karl and Nate McMillan.  He was the head coach of the Timberwolves for a season and a half before being fired in 2007 with a record of 53-69.  He is currently an assistant for the Dallas Mavericks.

News: We know that Casey has now had two interviews for the job.  To my knowledge he is the only confirmed candidate that has been given a second interview.

My thoughts: First of all, I don’t think too much can be taken from Casey’s record as an NBA head coach.  He was coaching a bad Minnesota team that had absolutely no stability anywhere in the organization.  On the positive side, he comes from a pretty impressive basketball background.  But, to be honest, so do a lot of coaches, so that doesn’t mean crap to me.  I don’t know a ton about Casey, so I am not going to sit here and say he would be a terrible coach.  But, as I keep saying, the Sixers don’t need a question mark coach.  What I mean is, I don’t want to see a guy come in that has no successful track record.  I don’t like hearing the fact Casey interviewed twice, but I don’t know if that means he is the frontrunner.  I am hoping he isn’t.

Ranking: 5

KURT RAMBIS

Resume: Most people remember Rambis for his playing days in the NBA.  He played 14 NBA season, most of which were in a Lakers uniform and has 4 rings to show for his efforts.  He has been an assistant to Phil Jackson, and briefly was the Lakers head coach during the lockout year.  He had a record of 24-13 and took the Lakers to the conference semifinals.  He also worked in the front office for the Lakers and is currently back on the bench as an assistant to Phil Jackson.

News: We now know that Rambis has been informed he is out of the running for Sixers head coach.

My thoughts: I am sure playing for Pat Riley and coaching under Phil Jackson has served Rambis well.  He may end up being a very good NBA coach some day, but I am glad that he was taken off the list by the Sixers because I would have hurt my head badly if he was hired.  For some reason, and I can’t exactly pinpoint it, I just didn’t want Rambis to be the next head coach.

Ranking: 1

EDDIE JORDAN

Resume: Eddie Jordan played for seven years in the NBA and won a championship with the Lakers in 1982.  He was an assistant coach for 5 years in Sacramento and then was promoted to head coach for a little more than a season.  He was unsuccessful in Sacramento, and then went to New Jersey as an assistant for 4 years on some very successful Nets teams.  Jordan then coached the Wizards for just over 5 seasons, and led them to 4 straight playoff appearances.  He has a regular season coaching record of 230-288 and a playoff record of 8-18.

News: A lot of people figured Jordan would be the guy when this whole process started.  We know he has spoken to Stefanski, but there is no news other than that.  He has also interviewed for the Sacramento Kings vacant head coaching position.

My thoughts: Jordan has a relationship with Stefanski from when they worked together in New Jersey.  I think Stefanski is comfortable with Eddie Jordan.  I personally don’t put a ton of blame on some of the failures of the Wizards.  I think he got more out of that team than most would have.  They dealt with a ton of injuries, and coaching Gilbert Arenas must be an absolute anxiety attack.  Jordan has had some success in the league both as a player and a head coach, which is what I want out of the next coach.  He isn’t my favorite candidate, but I wouldn’t be upset if he was the choice.

Ranking: 6.5

TOM THIBODEAU

Resume: Thibodeau has been an NBA assistant for 19 years, most notably for the Knicks, Rockets, and Celtics.  He is known as a defensive guru, and has been Jeff Van Gundy’s right hand man for both New York and Houston.  He helped turn last year’s NBA champion Celtics into the best defensive team in the league.

News: We know that Thibodeau interviewed for the job last week.

My Thoughts: Thibodeau served as an assistant to John Lucas in Philly in the mid nineties.  But, that has nothing to do with anything, just thought you might want to know.  I actually really like Thibodeau…as an assistant.  A lot of people are in love with Thibodeau because of his proven success as a defensive genius.  The Sixers are in desperate need of defensive improvements.  It seems to be a perfect fit, right?  I say wrong.  Some coaches are better served as assistants than head coaches.  Now, I am not saying that Thibodeau automatically fits into that category, but once again, I don’t think this is the time for the Sixers to give a guy his first crack at being an NBA head coach.  I am all for forward thinking, but I am just not into the idea of giving a guy hus first chance, no matter how much he amazes in his interviews.  There are plenty of cases on both sides of this argument, so I’ll admit that if Stefanski goes with Thibodeau I will understand. 

Ranking: 5

AVERY JOHNSON

Resume: Johnson played 16 seasons in the NBA, most notably for the Spurs, winning a title in 1999.  He was an assistant under Don Nelson briefly and then became head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.  He was very successful during the regular season with the Mavs, compiling a 194-70 record.  He had a record of 23-24 in the playoffs, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2006, but 2 first round playoff exits following that season cost him his job.

News: Johnson has not interviewed for the position.  It was rumored that the Sixers might be interested, but word is that Avery Johnson doesn’t want to be involved in a huge coaching search.

My Thoughts: Avery Johnson has proven he can coach.  He has also proven that I can’t stand the sound of his voice.  It doesn’t look like he will be part of the process anyway, but he definitely had some clear ideas of what he would do with this Sixers team in an interview on ESPN Radio.  I can’t say that I disagreed with any of his thoughts on the Sixers.  The guy knows his stuff, but I doubt he will be in the fold.  I think he would do a very good job, but he is the type of coach who needs to be in complete control, and I don’t know if that would mesh with Stefanski.

Ranking: 7.5

DOUG COLLINS

Resume: Collins was a four time NBA All Star, is a former Sixer, and a former number one overall draft pick.  He has been the head coach of 3 different NBA teams (Bulls, Pistons, and Wizards).  Collins coached Michael Jordan in his younger years. He took  teams to the playoffs in 5 out of 8 seasons and has a regular season record of 332-297 and playoff record of 15-23.

News: First Collins said that the Sixers contacted him, then he retracted his statement a couple weeks ago.  Well, now it looks like the Sixers are, in fact, interested in talking to Collins.

My Thoughts: I like Doug Collins, I will admit.  I think he knows more about the game of basketball than most people on this planet.  He has been around the NBA for over 30 years and has had a little nit of coaching success.  The problem is, I never felt that he quite connected with his players.  I have no basis of proof, it was always just a feeling I had.  I think this version of the Sixers team might tune Collins out.  Again, it’s just a gut feeling I have.  I’d prefer to listen to him break down games on TNT.

Ranking: 5

JEFF VAN GUNDY

Resume: Van Gundy started out as an assistant for Providence and Rutgers before heading to the NBA.  He served as an assistant coach for the Knicks for over 6 very successful seasons.  Van Gundy has been a head coach for all or part of 11 NBA seasons for the Knicks and Rockets.  His teams reached the playoffs in all but one season that he spent the entire year on the bench.  He has a record of 430-318 in the regular season, and 44-44 in the playoffs.  He took the Knicks to the NBA Finals in 1999.

News: Van Gundy has yet to interview for the job, but it has been reported that the Sixers are interested in talking to him.

My Thoughts: Ok, here is where I will let the secret out.  Van Gundy would be my choice for the next Sixers head coach.  I realize that his teams in Houston lost in the first round every year, but when you have Tracy McGrady on your team that is what happens.  In fact, I will unveil my master plan: Hire Van Gundy and then he reunites with Thibodeau and then everybody wins,  Van Gundy has had a nice little break from coaching and seems ready to get back into the game.  Of any of the candidates, he is the most successful and that is what I want.  He has proven that he can get teams to win.  Even better, once Van Gundy burns out, we can then transition Thibodeau in and he will be familiar with the team!  Ahhh…my plan is perfect!  I believe Van Gundy is the type of coach that can demand and get the most out of this Sixers team.  They need someone who won”t put up with laziness and has a more demanding personality than Cheeks or DiLeo.

Ranking: 10

I just wanted to make sure everyone understands that my rankings are simply what I think of each coach and not what I think the Sixers feel about them.  So, you now know what I would like to see happen.  But, who do I think will be the next head coach of the Sixers.  It’s just a hunch, but, ladies and gentlemen meet your new Sixers head coach: Tom Thibodeau!  It all remains to be seen.

It’s that time again.  No, I don’t mean summer time, I mean time for another round of “Inside the Numbers”.  Please, try to contain your excitement.  Last week consisted of 6 games on the road in Cincinnati and New York (Yankees), and the Phillies took 2 of 3 in both series.  I think we all know that the Yankees series easily could have been a sweep if only Brad Lidge could remember what it felt like to close games.  Since this past weekend was the first dose of interleague play for the season, I put the numbers for the DH into the bench numbers for the week, however on the season totals, it remains just the numbers for pinch hitting.  I would say it was a pretty successful 6 games considering the Phils faced Harang, Cueto, Burnett, and Sabathia along the way. 

STATS FROM 5/18-24

TEAM BATTING

56 for 215

32 Runs

5.33 Runs per game

27 Extra Base Hits

.260 BA, .315 OBP, .502 SLG

RISP

10 for 44

.227 BA, 16 RBI

STARTING PITCHING

3-1

37 IP, 41 H, 18 ER, 4 BB, 27 K

4.37 ERA, 1.22 WHIP

BULLPEN

1-1

1 Save

2 Blown Saves

17 1/3 IP, 16 H, 6 ER, 9 BB, 13 K

3.16 ERA, 1.46 WHIP

VERSUS RHP

39 for 143

.273 BA

VERSUS LHP

17 for 72

.236 BA

BENCH/ PH

5 for 22

4 Runs, 4 RBI

.227 BA

2009 SEASON TOTALS

TEAM BATTING

42 Games

239 Runs= 5.69 Runs per game

.261 BA, .344 OBP, .459 SLG

RISP

.288 BA, .395 OBP, .508 SLG

173 RBI

STARTING PITCHING

13-12

6.03 ERA, .304 BAA, 1.56 WHIP

51 HR allowed

BULLPEN

11-6

10 for 16 in Save Opportunities= 63 %

3.87 ERA, .226 BAA, 1.33 WHIP

VERSUS RHP

1007 AB, 169 Runs

1 Run every 5.96 AB

.266 BA, .349 OBP, .466 SLG

VERSUS LHP

443 AB, 70 Runs

1 Run every 6.33 AB

.251 BA, .332 OBP, .445 SLG

BENCH/ PH

.203 BA, .294 OBP, .378 SLG

11 Runs, 15 RBI

It was a step in the right direction for the starting rotation.  The staff had their best week of the year and ate up more innings than they have been.  They also had an impressive 4 walks in 37 innings, including none in the 3 game series against a very patient Yankees team.  That is a great job making the hitter put the ball in play, and with the Phillies defense, that is exactly what the pitchers should be doing.  Now, if we can just get them to figure out how to keep the ball in the park, we may have something here.  There are a lot of rumors flying around that the Phillies are in the market for at least one starter.  Not surprising, since they probably look at the same numbers we are, and see that there is no way they can win a pennant with those numbers.  The bullpen’s numbers would have been spectacular if Brad Lidge hadn’t blown up a couple times.  Clay Condrey is proving to be versatile and vital to the Phillies pen.  One thing I am going to be keeping a closer eye on, is that the numbers against lefties are starting to slip.  It isn’t much, but we will watch and see if they continue to slide or if it is just a case of facing some tough lefties and nothing more.  This week features series against division foes Florida and Washington at home.  The Phillies need to start playing better baseball at the Bank and a good way to do that is to take advantage of 2 struggling teams this week.

0-2

8 saves

3 Blown Saves

9.16 ERA

27 Hits in 18.2 IP

Do those look like the numbers of a top notch closer?  Obviously, they don’t but those are Brad Lidge’s numbers in 20 appearances so far this season.  In 10 of the 20 appearances, Lidge has given up at least one run.  Lidge has also surrendered 6 home runs in just over 18 innings pitched.  That’s a far cry from the dominance and perfection he displayed last season.  Now, it is unreasonable to expect perfection from a closer, but so far Lidge has been just plain bad.  The NL East race is shaping up to a tight one throughout the season, so the bullpen is extremely important.  Having great set up men means nothing if the closer cannot finish games successfully.  I think most people remember that Brad Lidge was a dominant closer for the Houston Astros until that fateful playoff game when Albert Pujols crushed a home run and Lidge’s confidence.  His struggles led to the Phillies being able to acquire him, and the results since Lidge joined the team speak for themselves.

We know that Lidge has had knee trouble this year, but we also know he has a history of shaky pitching.  Whatever the reason is for his current struggles doesn’t matter much, but what does matter is the Phillies cannot afford to have a closer who can’t get anybody out.  It begs the question of what Charlie Manuel should do.  If this is simply a case of Lidge’s knee being too much of a problem for him to be effective, then he needs to sit down.  If a trip to the disabled list is not in the cards, then the situation becomes a bit more difficult.  Being able to close games takes a certain mentality.  With shattered confidence it is impossible to be a closer.  Lidge has done an amazing job shaking the demons he developed in Houston, but that doesn’t mean that his confidence is unbreakable. 

Is it time for Ryan Madson to get some opportunities.  It might be.  He has closer’s stuff, averaging more than a strikeout per inning.  But, Manuel needs to be careful.  I am not sure he is ready to demote Lidge, because once you do that with a closer there is usually no turning back.  Like I said, if we find out that Lidge isn’t healthy enough to pitch, this can all be worked out.  It’s easy for all of us to yell and scream and say Manuel should demote Lidge, but closers do not typically make great set up men.  It is in their mentality that once they are a closer, that’s just what they are programmed to do.  It’s kind of the same reason that so many closer struggle in games that aren’t save situations.

I don’t know what the right answer is at this point.  Charlie Manuel knows his team, so I am sure he has an idea of how to approach this whole thing.  The bottom line is that Lidge is very hittable right now.  His slider is his out pitch, and right now he doesn’t seem to have the confidence that he has an effective enough slider to get good hitters out.  All you need to do is look at the Alex Rodriguez at bat from yesterday’s blown save against the Yankees to see evidence of this fact.  Lidge threw 6 straight sliders and had a full count on A-Rod.  I know that Lidge said after the game that he had thrown the fastball because the thought was they would fool A-Rod.  That may be true, but that isn’t what a closer does.  If a closer’s best pitch is a 99 mph fastball, then they will throw 10 straight fastballs if that’s what it takes.  Lidge didn’t get beat on his best pitch, and that worries me.  I have no idea how this will all play out, but I do know that the Phillies can’t have the current version of Brad Lidge closing games for too much longer.  There comes a point where the old adage of “What have you done for me lately?” needs to be the approach.  There is a point where the success of last year has to be put in the rearview mirror.  Are we at that point?

The win over the Yankees last night was a good one for the Phillies.  The four home runs were a nice added bonus, too.  But, the most important moment of last night’s game came in the bottom of the first inning.  Jimmy Rollins led off the game in typical new Yankee Stadium style with a home run.  Yankees starter A.J. Burnett subsequently plunked Chase Utley in the next at bat.  It is doubtful that Burnett intentionally hit Utley, but that isn’t the point.  The response by Brett Myers in the bottom of the inning is the moment I am referring to.  On the very first pitch, Myers threw behind Derek Jeter, the Yankee captain.  It was a clear and proper response to his teammate being hit.

It may not seem like much, but in my opinion it was important.  See, the Phillies are the World Champions, but sometimes when you have already reached the top, the drive and competitiveness to stay there is hard to maintain.  The Yankees are the most storied franchise in the history of baseball and they like to think of themselves as alpha dogs.  When Brett Myers threw behind Jeter, he was simply saying, “You aren’t going to intimidate us.  We are the champs for a reason.”  It was a clear sign that the Phillies still have the edge and the fight in them that helped them win a championship last year.  These guys have each other’s backs, and in baseball that is more important than people realize.  The fact that it was Myers that threw the pitch is no surprise.  Say what you want about Myers’ inconsistency, but he is a competitor.  When you walk into New York and throw a pitch at Derek Jeter, you are doing something that most pitchers don’t have the guts to do.  Obviously, it will ultimately be the Phillies play on the field that will determine how they finish the year, but the competitiveness, fire, resiliency, and camaraderie that moments like last night are examples of will also go a long way in the Phillies success.

I just wanted to take a minute to address a more serious topic than usual.  As most of you know, Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson is battling melanoma, which is a form of skin cancer.  It has been announced that Johnson will be taking a leave of absence due to his ongoing treatment and battle.  Many people out there have been affected in some way by cancer, and our family is no exception.  We are currently in the middle of our own battle with melanoma. It is a terrible disease and I wish that no person would have to go through the fight.  Unfortunately, we all know that is currently not the reality.  It is times like these and stories like these that remind us all that life keeps moving forward no matter what.  We have diversions, like sports for example, but at the end of the day, it really is just a game.  I am as big a sports fan as anyone, possibly more than anyone, but I also know that whether a team wins or loses, the next day will bring whatever it wants to.  I wish Jim Johnson all the best and hope for a full recovery, not because he is a great defensive coordinator, but so that his family will be able to share many more memories with him. 

So, I am a day late on this post, but have no fear because I have compiled the stats for last week properly.  The following stats are from the Phillies games against the Dodgers and Nationals, in which the Phils won 5 out of 7 games.  They do not include any stats from last night’s victory over the Reds.  If you haven’t been following, we are looking at seven statistical categories on a weekly basis that we feel will be direct indicators of the Phillies success.  The Philles currently sit in first place, but there are certain stats that do not bode well for them to stay in that position, at least according to my theory.  Let’s take a look at last week.

Stats From 5/12-5/18

TEAM BATTING

65 for 239

43 Runs

6.14 Runs per game

23 Extra Base Hits

.272 BA, .399 OBP, .439 SLG

RISP

26 for 79

.329 BA, 34 RBI

STARTING PITCHING

3-1

35 IP, 43 H, 26 ER, 17 BB, 32 K

6.69 ERA, 1.71 WHIP

BULLPEN

1-2

4 Saves

1 Blown Save

28 IP, 29 H, 12 ER, 10 BB, 24 K

3.86 ERA, 1.39 WHIP

VERSUS RHP

36 for 127

.283 BA

VERSUS LHP

29 for 112

.259 BA

BENCH/PH

3 for 12

.250 BA, 2 BB, 2 R, 1 RBI

2009 Season Totals

TEAM BATTING

36 Games, 207 Runs Scored

5.75 Runs per Game

.262 BA, .349 OBP, .452 SLG

RISP

.295 BA, .406 OBP, .524 SLG

159 RBI

STARTING PITCHING

10-11

6.35 ERA, .308 BAA, 1.63 WHIP

42 HR’s allowed

BULLPEN

10-5

9 for 13 in Save Opportunities= 69%

3.97 ERA, .223 BAA, .1.31 WHIP

VERSUS RHP

864 AB, 146 Runs

5.92 Runs per AB

.265 BA, .350 OBP, .451 SLG

VERSUS LHP

371 AB, 61 Runs

6.08 Runs per AB

.253 BA, .344 OBP, .453 SLG

BENCH/PH

.206 BA, .304 OBP, .382 SLG

10 Runs, 13 RBI

There you have it.  I can tell you that the Phillies should thank the Nationals for making these stats look pretty damn good.  If we had just looked at the Dodgers series, the stats would not look good at all.  But, as the old adage goes, you play who is on your schedule, so the Phillies ended up putting up some good numbers last week.  Well, except for that starting pitching of course.  We all know the starting pitching has been terrible, and we also know that the Phillies will not win the NL East if their starting staff’s ERA is over 6.00 at the end of the season.  If they do, then I will call myself out for being wrong.  On a positive side, the Philles are putting up some very nice numbers with runners in scoring position, which is a huge stat in my opinion.  That is the difference in so many games.  In most baseball games, both teams will have runners on base and scoring opportunities, but usually one team takes advantage and the other does not.  The Phillies have a number of hitters that are able to drive in runs in crucial situations, forcing pitchers to constantly make good pitches.  It is a trait of a good team.  If this team can get more production from their starting staff, you will see the record soar way above the .500 mark, which is where it should be.  This week brings 2 road series: one against the Cincinnati Reds and then a much anticipated weekend series in new Yankee Stadium where balls have been flying out at a record pace.

I really can’t believe it took this long, but it was announced earlier today that Chan Ho Park is being moved to the bullpen, and J.A. Happ would take his spot as the Phillies 5^th starter.  Personally, I didn’t understand the decision to give the job of 5^th starter to Park coming out of Spring Training.  Park hasn’t been a good starter since the 2001 season.  Since that year, Park’s lowest earned run average in a season where he was a starter was 4.81, and most years he was in the high 5’s.  His best year since 2001 was last year with the Dodgers where he was used primarily out of the bullpen and ended the year with 3.40 ERA.  So what made the Phillies think he was miraculously going to become a reliable starter, something he had not been in 8 years?  Sometimes you are what you are.  I would have rather seen the Phillies go with the 26 year old Happ, who pitched fairly well in 4 starts last season, and has made 12 solid appearances out of the bullpen this year.  None of it matters now.  Happ will likely have a good opportunity to solidify his role as the 5^th starter, since the Phillies really don’t have any other options at the moment to take his place.  Happ is scheduled to make his first start of the season this Saturday against the Yankees.

Some people who read this blog may already know this, and some may not.  But, this is a site run by 2 brothers, one being myself (Anthony) and the other being my younger brother (Chris).  Well, we have been very slow in our contributions to this site of late, but I assure everyone it is for a good reason.  Our family has been prepping for and celebrating the wedding of my brother, who is now on his honeymoon with his beautiful wife.  It has been a long, fun, and exciting two weeks, and we hope to get back to writing as much as we previously were.  Of course, I am not sure that anyone actually cares about any of this, but now you know, so there’s no turning back! 

It is time for my breakdowns on the NBA Conference Finals.  I have been accurate on all but one of my series predictions so far.  I felt the Celtics had enough in the tank to pull out another 7 game series win, but it turns out they didn’t.  It’s funny because so many fans, including myself, were looking forward to a possible Celtics/Cavs series, but would the tired and short handed Celtics been able to give the Cavs even a little resistance?  I doubt it.  So, maybe the two Conference Finals series that we are left with are the best possible match ups we could have asked for.  So, on to my picks…

Orlando vs. Cleveland

I have been hearing a lot of talk about the Magic being confident after their Game 7 win on Boston’s home floor.  I don’t want to take anything away from Orlando, but…Well, maybe I do want to take something away.  The Celtics had nothing in the tank after Game 5!  Nothing!  Brian Scalabrine was getting tons of minutes.  Seriously, people, winning that game was nice for the psyche of the Magic, but once they hit the floor against Cleveland they are facing a whole different animal.  Cleveland didn’t need some bogus win against a dead legged team to validate themselves, they already know they are good.  Very good.  Like, haven’t even come close to losing a playoff game good.  Don’t get me wrong, the Magic will pose some problems for the vaunted Cleveland defense to solve.  They run a unique offense that surrounds Dwight Howard with 4 shooters.  The Cavaliers must decide how they are going to defend Howard, but my guess is they will mix it up with a variety of defenders and defensive looks.  They will certainly double team, especially given the fact that their rotations and close outs are a staple of their defense.  When the Cavs, double, they may decide that the double team will come from whoever is guarding Rafer Alston.  If Alston is draining jumpers, so be it.  I know that the Magic had quite a bit of offensive success in their two home victories over Cleveland during the regular season, but I think the playoff version of the Cavs is too focused to allow the Magic to score at will.  LeBron James has the ability and energy to play shut down defense on either Rashard Lewis or Hedo Turkoglu.  The interesting thing will be how Orlando guards the combo of and Ilgauskas.  No matter which one Howard guards, the Cavs will use screen and rolls to get him away from the basket, and both big men for the Cavs can hit the outside shot, particularly Ilgauskas.  For the Cavs, defensively Ilgauskas may be a bit of a liability because he does not have the athleticism to guard any of the Magic big men.  It will be a battle of strategy, as usual to create as many mismatches and uncomfortable defensive situations as possible.  The Magic will likely look to push the tempo whenever possible so that Cleveland does not have a chance to set their defense.  Both teams have solid benches that can contribute on a nightly basis.  I think the Magic will make this series competitive, but there are 2 words that will likely be the difference: LeBron James.  There is no one on Orlando’s roster that has a prayer of stopping James.  They will have to do their best to make James pass out of traps and double teams and keep him out of the lane as much as they can.  I just don’t think that will be enough.  He may average a triple double in this series.  CAVS IN 5

Denver vs. Los Angeles

At the beginning of the playoffs, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Lakers would be back in the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year.  Then we all watched the Lakers Jekyll and Hyde act throughout the playoffs.  Add to that the fact that Denver has been almost as dominating as Cleveland in the postseason, and we may have a helluva series on our hands.  The Nuggets are a much improved defensive teams, but they are still vulnerable, especially against a team like the Lakers.  If the combination of Gasol, Bynum, and Odom are clicking and playing well, they can create issues for Denver.  Kenyon Martin is an athletic and aggressive defender, but he does not have the size to defend Gasol or Bynum, nor does Nene.  Dahntay Jones will go toe to toe with Kobe Bryant, and Bryant will need to be extremely aggressive in this series, especially with Derek Fisher struggling.  Jones cannot stop Kobe Bryant.  On the other end, the Lakers will likely use Ariza to guard Carmelo Anthony and use Bryant on Billups to try and neutralize Billups a little bit.  Billups is very good and getting buckets in transition, so the Lakers will need to find him immediately.  I have never been impressed with the Lakers defense.  There are games where it looks pretty good and games where it is horrible, and to me that is the sign of a team who doesn’t have the right kind of attitude to maintain consistent defensive effort. A team like Denver should be able to rack up the points on Los Angeles, in my opinion. This has a chance to be a high scoring series, but I feel like the Nuggets have more consistent offensive weapons.  Gasol and Bryant are the only two Lakers playing with any consistency right now.  The Lakers have the home court advantage and they have Kobe Bryant, so my pick scares me.  I keep bouncing back and forth on this one.  I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Lakers win in it seven games, but I going the other way.  NUGGETS IN 6

As I mentioned yesterday, I have been unable to write anything the past week, which means I was unable to post our “Inside the Numbers” segment.  This actually brought about a change in format.  Previously, I have been breaking down the stats on a series by series basis, but moving forward it will be weekly.  I will post “Inside the Numbers on a Monday or Tuesday, depending on when the Phillies end the last series of the week.  The following batch of stats comes from the games played from May 1^st thru the 11^th against the Mets, Cardinals, and Braves.  It was a disappointing stretch for the Phillies, as they were only able to win 4 out of the 9 games, including losing 3 of 4 to the Mets.  Let’s look at the stats…

TEAM BATTING

45 Runs, 5 runs per game

73 for 306, 34 extra base hits, 31BB

.239 BA, .316 OBP, .435 SLG

RISP

20 for 68, 32 RBI

.294 BA

STARTING PITCHING

3-3

50 IP, 52 H, 34 ER, 21 BB, 28 K

6.12 ERA, 1.46 WHIP

BULLPEN

1-2

1 Blown Save

30 IP, 21 H, 9 ER, 17 BB, 13 K

2.70 ERA, 1.27 WHIP

VERSUS RHP

50 for 199, .251 BA

VERSUS LHP

23 for 107, .215 BA

BENCH/PH

3 for 17

2 BB, HBP, 1 RBI

.176 BA

2009 SEASON TOTALS (Thru 5/11)

TEAM BATTING

164 Runs, 29 Games

5.65 Runs Per Game

.259 BA, .339 OBP, .455 SLG

RISP

.283 BA, .405 OBP, .508 SLG

124 RBI

STARTING PITCHING

7-10

.308 BAA, 6.28 ERA, 1.61 WHIP

38 HR allowed

BULLPEN

8-4

5 for 8 in Save Opportunities= 63 %

.208 BAA, 4.00 ERA, 1.29 WHIP

VERSUS RHP

737 AB, 121 Runs

1 Run every 6.09 AB

.262 BA, .339 OBP, .456 SLG

VERSUS LHP

259 AB, 43 Runs

1 Run every 6.02 AB

.251 BA, .339 OBP, .452 SLG

BENCH/PH

11 for 56, 8 R, 12 RBI

.196 BA, .292 OBP, .393 SLG

I think we all know what the problem has been.  The good thing is that Cole Hamels had another strong outing and notched his first win of the season.  The pitching staff gives up a ridiculous amount of long balls and that cannot continue.  I will give the staff until the end of this month to start to turn things around, but if they haven’t by then, this team is in huge trouble.  The offense inexplicably disappeared of late, but over the course of this season they will produce more often than not.  It hasn’t helped that Jimmy Rollins has been in a terrible funk since day one, but I am betting on him turning it around by June. The pitching staff doesn’t need to be spectacular for the Phillies to have a great season, but they can’t be horrendous either.  No one wants to make much of an issue about it, but I will continue to say that the bench is weak and it hurts the team.  I have friends that point to Greg Dobbs having a great year last year, and my response is always, “Yeah, last year.”  Their stats are at the bottom of the National League and that could come back to bite them.  Overall, I believe this is a very solid team with the capability of running off a string of consecutive victories.  It would be nice if they could start that sooner rather than later.  Let’s see if they can get off to a good start tonight against the cheater-less (oops, I mean, Manny-less) Los Angeles Dodgers.