More on what needs to be changed

by S. Raven on Oct 23, 2011 10:13 PM EDT

Winning 102 games was awesome. Watching the NLDS was as frustrating as watching our franchise-record setting season unfold. The postseason was especially frustrating because the writing was on the wall all season, but smacked us full in the face in October: the Phillies offensive strategy contained several major, fundamental flaws.

The 2011 line up had the talent to support the pitching staff, but they did not fully use it. A team batting average of less than .200 in the post season rests on the shoulders of the batting coach and Charlie Manuel. I’m still a fan of Charlie, but wonder what happened to his renowned knowledge as a hitting coach? They lack plate discipline, too often swinging at the first pitch or with a 3-0 count. They rely too much on power hitting at the expense of base hits. We can't have the 3 and 4 hitters strike out 250+ times, as Pence and Howard did. I want to see a better base running strategy focused on advancing runners through sacrifice bunts and stealing bases. With runners on base, slap hits can be extremely effective.

I’d also like to see a couple of minor line up tweaks. Jimmy Rollins should not be our leadoff hitter (I’m fairly ambivalent about his return in general. If he does return, put him in the 6 spot). Victorino has the speed and on base percentage for the number 1 spot. I'm not a particular fan of Victorino protecting Howard. Howard strikes out too often to need protecting – he damages himself. Replacing Ibanez has been discussed at length in the Good Phight, and I agree.

These offensive adjustments will go a long way in supporting our pitching staff. Replacing Roy Oswalt with Vance Worley also wouldn’t hurt, as he is on the rise, while Oswalt is on the decline. We all know that they need to score more than 0 runs when Halliday pitches in order to win, but hopefully the Phillies will learn from 2011.

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by yolacrary on Oct 23, 2011 10:34 PM EDT reply actions

read this: http://www.thegoodphight.com/2011/10/22/2506221/even-if-jimmy-rollins-will-be-vastly-overpaid-in-the-last-year-of-his#80987550

by yolacrary on Oct 23, 2011 10:45 PM EDT reply actions

by taco pal on Oct 23, 2011 11:03 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs

BAD POST FTW.

by Phrozen on Oct 24, 2011 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions

What’s with the sudden influx of bad FanPosts and idiotic comments? Were we mentioned by WIP or 97.5 or something?

Editor at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.

by Justin F. on Oct 23, 2011 11:54 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

1. Postseason batting average — Small sample, pretty much irrelevant, and batting average is a poor tool.

2. Plate discipline — I’m not totally writing this off, but is there any evidence to show that they swing on the first pitch / on 3-0 more than other teams, and that this is detrimental to their offense?

3. Relying on power — This chestnut has been around for years, but it doesn’t really make any sense, and the fact that the Phillies were the best run-scoring offense in the league after Chase Utley returned, but did not really hit many home runs at all, undermines this claim.

4. Batter strikeouts have virtually no impact on run scoring, and in fact, there’s a positive correlation. Batters who strike out a lot also tend to walk more and are more productive.

5. Aggressive baserunning — How did Chase Utley’s little attempt to take 3rd base in Game Five strike you? I’d rather they be good at stealing bases than “frequent,” and they are good at it, by and large.

6. Jimmy Rollins leadoff — I’ll concede this, but I think lineup order arguments are pretty irrelevant.

7. Replacing Oswalt with Worley — Oswalt is a borderline Hall of Fame candidate in his decline phase. We’ll be lucky if Worley, 3rd starter ceiling, can match that down the road.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Oct 24, 2011 8:15 AM EDT reply actions

7. Replacing Oswalt with Worley — Oswalt is a borderline Hall of Fame candidate in his decline phase. We’ll be lucky if Worley, 3rd starter ceiling, can match that down the road.

And its a small chance he even reaches that ceiling.

by EJL on Oct 24, 2011 8:52 AM EDT up reply actions

He looked very, very good this year. And it wasn’t all ERA — even his xFIP/SIERA were pretty strong. Sure, next to Hamels, Lee, and Doc he looks mediocre, but if he doesn’t regress, he looks like he’ll be a #3 starter for quite some time, maybe even a touch better than that. Probably won’t have Roy Oswalt’s career, but he’ll be quite good in his own right.

by Rujasu on Oct 25, 2011 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions

2. Plate discipline — I’m not totally writing this off, but is there any evidence to show that they swing on the first pitch / on 3-0 more than other teams, and that this is detrimental to their offense?

3-0 is a pretty typical fastball count, I have no problem with anyone swinging away there (unless it’s clear the pitcher is having a Rick Ankiel moment and couldn’t get a beach ball over the plate).

by Cormican on Oct 24, 2011 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions

Also, I believe the evidence shows that the Phillies swing at the first pitch less often than average… with the Cardinals leading the league in first pitch swing % (I think schmenkman had a post to this effect)

by yolacrary on Oct 24, 2011 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Phillies swung at 8.1% of 3-0 counts(league average was 7.7%).
For reference sake, Cards were the highest at 13% and Mets lowest at 3.9%

by byosti on Oct 27, 2011 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions

So not very significant statistically, I assume.

by Cormican on Oct 27, 2011 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Also, the argument for replacing Oswalt makes more sense, if it’s on the basis that it frees up capital to be used elsewhere on the field (resigning Rollins, Hamels and compiling a competent bench)

by Cormican on Oct 24, 2011 11:07 AM EDT reply actions

Wow

I am stunned no one mentioned the spelling of Halladay. Need more be said?

by ajay on Oct 24, 2011 12:33 PM EDT reply actions

Watching the NLDS was as frustrating as watching our franchise-record setting season unfold.

This season was frustrating for you? Really? Parts of it, sure, but as a whole, this season was perhaps the most wonderful season of sport I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying.

by Phrozen on Oct 24, 2011 1:27 PM EDT reply actions

This was the least frustrating regular season I’ve ever witnessed, that’s for sure.

Editor at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.

by Justin F. on Oct 24, 2011 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions

.

I reject your reality and substitute my own.

by alcatraz0109 on Oct 24, 2011 8:20 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs

Fantastic

Reminds me of a few folks I know.

What kind of plane is it? Oh, it's a big pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels and it looks like a big ol' Tylenol.

by doubleh on Oct 25, 2011 3:50 AM EDT up reply actions

So I WAS right to outright reject her post because she’s a woman. Right, boys?

by punnyname on Oct 25, 2011 10:35 AM EDT reply actions

what

Editor at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.

by Justin F. on Oct 25, 2011 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions

ffs

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Oct 25, 2011 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions

Sorry, I’m kinda doing, like, a “meta” thing with my comments. Not surprised NOBODY gets it.

by punnyname on Oct 25, 2011 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions

No. I got it. I just found it ridiculously pointless.

Editor at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.

by Justin F. on Oct 25, 2011 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Really more “ironically” pointless. In the post modern sense, of course.

po-mo.

by punnyname on Oct 25, 2011 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions

“Ironically pointless?” What the fuck does that even mean?

by Phrozen on Oct 25, 2011 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s redundant. It’s pointlessly pointless. Pointless squared. It’s like a Perpetual Stupidity Machine of a post. Or a fractal: whenever you think you’ve found the lowest level of stupid, you magnify it to find even more on closer inspection.

by Rujasu on Oct 25, 2011 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions

How come no one has yet brought up the point that Roy Holiday literally single-handedly lost game 5 for us by giving up that one run? How come he doesn’t get any of the blame for the Philly’s being so AWFUL this year!! WTF!

by punnyname on Oct 25, 2011 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions