I Am Giambi, Dammit: Rockies 7, Phillies 1
by Wet Luzinski on May 19, 2011 11:17 PM EDT
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PrintAllow me to begin tonight dwelling on the injury du nuit with an homage to William Carlos Williams by way of artistic tribute to Joe Blanton's sore right elbow, a body part belonging to tonight's named starter. After warming up in the bullpen, Blanton informed the coaching staff 20 minutes before game time that his elbow was too sore to pitch, thus giving Kyle Kendrck, who tends to feature prominently in my game recaps anyway, the surprise start. (Postgame, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro addressed the press with a satchel full of smugness and said that Blanton and Victorino (hamstring) will go on the DL tomorrow. But he knew what you're thinking! and said Dom Brown was "not ready" and wouldn't be called up. Ohai, then, Delwyn Young. Brandon Moss? The mind reels with possibility.)
But I digress, and so to the bonus baseball-themed homage poem:
The Sore Rightelbow
(h/t William Carlos Williams)
so much depends
upon
a sore right
elbow
wrapped in ice
water
clothed in red
pinstripes.
More after da jump:
So, as I said: Kyle Kendrick was thus pressed to enter the Vortex of Suckitude. Joe Blanton's injured? That sucks. It's about to pour rain that they'll play through anyway? That sucks. What, Todd Helton won't play tonight? I'm okay with that, you know why? Jason Giambi will play first. And he sucks! Indeed, the 40-year-old Giambi entered the game for the cranky-backed Todd Helton sporting a lusty .115/.258./.231 line after 31 PAs so far in 2011, and nary a hit to his name since April 10. But the sight of Kendrick must have somehow stirred his 2001-era loins, and he just murdered two of his sorry fatassed fastballs high into the right field seats, the first above the Budweiser sign in the second deck, the second just below it deep into the first deck of seats. And then Danys Baez came in to relieve Kendrick, and with Giambi's home run pinata already dripping candy on the floor, he threw another homer to knock in all seven runs for the Rockies tonight.
Lost amid yet another dreary offensive performance by the Slumpbots is the fact that Jhoulys "The Unpronounceable Kid" Chacin is a pretty damn good pitcher, one of a string, Jake Westbrook aside, the Phillies have faced in the past week or so. He wound up striking out 9 and walking one (Rollins!), giving up four hits and avoiding whatever glancing contact the Phillies bats could muster.
Oddities abounded:
- I come not to bury Kendrick, Who Is What He Is, and had a pretty tough draw tonight. He was also not helped on the second Giambi home run because Michael Martinez really has little business trying to field hard hit balls to centerfield off the bats of the likes of Carlos Gonzalez.
- Cliff Lee came in as a pinch-hitter in the third inning in the driving rain, coincidentally at about the same time the Rockies were calling in Carlos Gonzalez into the dugout to minimize the damage from an apparent groin injury to their major long-term investment.
- On the one hand, the Phillies really should have scored more than one run, as Raul Ibanez's 2-out RBI double in the 4th hopped over the wall and would have scored Ross Gload. On the other hand, while the Phillies amassed more than 5 hits for the first time since the end of Prohibition, the hit that put them over the top was erased in the ninth on a double play. So I say it doesn't count.
- Ibanez had two hits!
- Rockies catcher Chris Iannetta is not very good at baseball lately and may be playing in a profound drunken stupor. Or at least that's how it looks on TV. Golden Sombrero'd.
- Scott Mathieson (Mathieson!) surfaced from his cave under the bullpen mound and pitched well.
- Michael Stutes, last seen with a sore side, came in and pitched well.
- J. C. Romero, deployed against lefthanders, was effective.
As if that's not enough fun for a week, hey hey hey, it's time for Interleague Play! Roy Halladay vs. C. J. Wilson and the Texas Rangers tomorrow.
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Is there any chance of Taco Pal writing a well-reasoned post about how Kyle is under the bell curve of the population of 5th Starters in any number of attributes? Because I want to not just complain, but to do it accurately. It sure seemed like he sucked.
"Ninety percent of this game is half mental" - Yogi Berra (SI, May 14, 1979)
by bandwagonesque on May 19, 2011 11:29 PM EDT reply actions
Trouble is, the article this year would instead need to focus on how lucky KK was getting until today and how his performance is only coming back in line with his peripherals. That being said, it is probably true that there are any number of long guys in other teams bullpens worse than KK.
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 19, 2011 11:33 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
This Is Just To Say
I have eaten
the Cookies
that were in
the bullpen
And which
you were probably
saving
for tonight’s start
Forgive me
they were mediocre
so heavy
and so stale
Time is not made of lines. It is made of circles. That is why clocks are round.
-Michael J Caboose
by TheOrangeCone on May 19, 2011 11:30 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Good job.
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 19, 2011 11:35 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Sadder than the one from last year’s Twins game when the Phillies were up by a ton in the ninth and wound up losing in extras? At least a game like tonight is almost hilarious in it’s badness- it does not tease you all evening with the thought of a win only to slam the door in your face and send you home empty handed.
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 19, 2011 11:36 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Definitely sadder.
J Giambi Home Run
J Giambi Home Run
J Giambi Home Run
:(
Last year’s game, where I tempted fate by stating that giving up an HR to Thome would be acceptable under the circumstances, isn’t sad, just stupifyingly ugly. This is sad.
Didn’t say I wasn’t… Just that it had competition for worst ever.
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 12:31 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
So… our CF is going on the DL. Our corner OFs are slumpering pretty hard right now, our fourth-string 2B is trying to play CF, and Rubsey won’t call up Brown because he’s not ready? He has a 1.031OPS in 16 minor league games so far, with four HRs. Seems pretty damn ready to me.
And at some point, the suffering of the big club has got to play a role. Yeah, yeah, long-term, May, OF of the future, development, OMG, turds. I get it.
Still, hasn’t he shown enough “readiness?”
If he won’t call up Dom to fix the gaping hole in the outfield, could he call up Chase to fill the gaping hole on the right side of the infield- I mean, at worst he would fit right in with this offense.
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 19, 2011 11:39 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Ruben only does something because he wants to do something. He doesn’t take suggestions.
Time is not made of lines. It is made of circles. That is why clocks are round.
-Michael J Caboose
by TheOrangeCone on May 19, 2011 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Could it also be about durability? Three injuries since his call up last year (and didn’t he also have another injury at last year’s minor league all star game)?
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 19, 2011 11:43 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
A broken hand due to (partially) a goobered up swing. A jammed thumb while headfirstedly sliding into injurybase.
And he’s healthy now. If we’re worried about his health, why don’t we encase him in carbonate and put him on display outside Jabba’s Palace the stadium? He might turn out to be a fragile guy, he might not, but sooner or later he needs to play baseball.
Right now, the Phils need someone who knows how to play baseball.
Wade built up a hell of a farm system. Ruben has destroyed it. In fairness, he has gotten some good players in return.
"You can commit no mistake and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life." - Jean-Luc Picard
Compared to what it was…say three years ago, it’s a shell of itself.
"You can commit no mistake and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life." - Jean-Luc Picard
How many of the prospects that were traded in the past few years do you truly miss? Gonzalez? Drabek?
http://www.thegoodphight.com
That’s a tad easier to say now that some of them have not panned out. Their low levels are filled with guys but in the upper levels? Dom, Vance and Stutes(where he would be if everyone wasn’t hurt). That’s not bad, but I don’t think it’s all that great either.
"You can commit no mistake and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life." - Jean-Luc Picard
To some extent, you also have to say it’s testament to the Phillies scouting department for knowing which guys to trade. At this point, I’m fairly confident in saying the only “difference makers” they traded are Drabek and Gonzalez, and they kept Brown who might wind up being the best of all of them.
The upper levels are pretty thin right now, but that’s because we turned them into Halladay, Lee (once), Oswalt, and Blanton. Not a bad trade-off.
http://www.thegoodphight.com
Yeah I would agree with that, the scouting department is either really smart, or the luckiest guys on the planet considering how little most of the guys they traded away have turned out.
And I agree with your second statement and that was my initial issue, was to me, the farm is destroyed(probably a bit overstated) but considering the return it is at least understandable. Not like they blew their load on one guy.
"You can commit no mistake and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life." - Jean-Luc Picard
"our fourth-string 2B is trying to play CF"
I don’t get this one at all…
Why is Martinez considered a better option than Mayberry?!?
“Watched” the game on AtBats. Was it uglier watching on TV?
"We are the Borg. Resistance is futile."
Wasn’t it ugly enough without seeing it?
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 19, 2011 11:44 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Tomorrow, but I think both are retroactive to today.
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 12:34 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
How is that a positive? For better, for worse, or for biscuits, the organization has decided that they are worth keeping around. If they are going to be here, I would prefer that they maintain productivity (particularly since the injury bug seems to allow marginal players to live here forever).
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 9:16 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I think it’s only a positive if you’re looking for support of your dislike of Kendrick and Baez. I don’t agree with that way of rooting for your team but I understand that is how some people feel.
by phillyinportland on May 21, 2011 1:48 AM EDT up reply actions
It was one of those things that you watch just to see how bad it would get….
Bring Back the Expos
by Veni Vidi Vici on May 19, 2011 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Actually on the plus side.
1) Stutes pitched good so side is healed!
2) Mathison (sp) pitched ok for an inning
…..trying to think of some more positives….well JC did ok too.
"We are the Borg. Resistance is futile."
Jimmy walked! Raul got 2 hits!
Um…more Vance Worley soon?
The velociraptor needs more at bats before we can even talk about that. Sorry.
by LeepinLizardz on May 20, 2011 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions
WTF
Victorino’s trip to the DL could have been backdated to Sunday, but manager Charlie Manuel used him as a pinch-hitter to lay down a sacrifice bunt during Wednesday’s game against Colorado. Manuel admitted he would not have used Victorino if the MRI results had shown the extent of the injury Wednesday.
Are you fucking serious? You risk your center fielder’s health for a fuckin bunt?
Grade one hamstrings should be rested from sporting activity for approximately 3 weeks, and grade two injuries typically require 4 to 6 weeks for recovery.
He didn’t run, exactly. It was more of a trot.
And he’s the best bunter on the team and it led to a win and I really doubt his hamstring was in jeopardy from the appearance anyway.
However, if he is going to need more than 2 weeks of rest, it really does not matter that much, right?
I am basing my statement off the fact that the injury wasn’t considered serious enough to put him on the DL right away, they thought he could rest it for a few days and be ready.
However, now he is going on the DL, after several days of rest and then jogging out that bunt. To me that means 1 of 2 things happened, neither of which is very encouraging:
1- They misdiagnosed the injury initially and he should have gone on the DL right away, or
2- He aggravated the injury on his bunt.
by The Reddgie on May 20, 2011 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions
TGP VOTE
Pre-season prognostication by WL is, from this day forth, forbidden!
What say you fellow TGPers. YAY or NAY.
Meh…
Time is not made of lines. It is made of circles. That is why clocks are round.
-Michael J Caboose
by TheOrangeCone on May 20, 2011 12:16 AM EDT up reply actions
My apologies.
Time is not made of lines. It is made of circles. That is why clocks are round.
-Michael J Caboose
by TheOrangeCone on May 20, 2011 2:10 AM EDT up reply actions
Which means that the backdating really would not make a difference, as he would not have been ready to go on Sunday + 15 days either way.
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 12:37 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I know that pitchers in the NL should be able to bunt, but with all the injuries this team has had isn’t it a little too risky to be sending up one of your star pitchers like Hamels to bunt when it just takes a pitch a little off line to end up hitting the fingers or the hand. And those injuries to pitchers are probably a lot more damaging than to position players.
by phillyinportland on May 20, 2011 3:01 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes. This. Yes.
Bunting with Vic was not the worst managerial move Charlie has made in his career. Or this week. Break it down: he was only bunting—he wasn’t gonna swing, no matter what; he barely jogged towards First; his hamstring isn’t involved in the squaring process; and it led to the game-winning run.
If he sent Vic up with the green light to swing, then sure, that’d be terrible: Kirk GIbson he’s not. But a pure bunt play is should be no big deal.
For those of us who (fortunately, as it turns out) missed this one, thanks for the detailed recap, WL.
One thing that needs to be said: tough to blame Kendrick based on the spot he was put in tonight. Sure, he wasn’t good, but you can’t ask someone to start a major league game 20 minutes beforehand and expect anything.
Of course, maybe the silver lining is that his poor outing convinced Amaro that Worley should take Cookies’ place for the time being. Or maybe (based on the apparent decision not to call up Brown) it’ll be Baez shifted to the rotation. Who even knows at this point?
by PhillyFriar on May 19, 2011 11:51 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Thanks. Friar, Martinez is a 28-year-old rule 5 guy who’s not really, um, progressing. Think it’s time to cut bait and offer him back to the Nats?
by Wet Luzinski on May 19, 2011 11:55 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think he’s a major league caliber player, but at this point, he’s the only real CF on the roster, so I guess I’d keep him around for now. Obviously that’s not a ringing endorsement, and I’d like him out the door as soon as we’re fielding something approaching a Quad-A lineup, let alone a major league one.
by PhillyFriar on May 20, 2011 12:19 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Could he be any worse than Martinez? Well, I forgot he’s a bit injury prone so that’d be kinda pointless.
Fragile AND an attitude problem… Pass!
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 12:53 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Yeah. I totally forgot Pods was one of whose those speedsters whose career suffered from leg and foot injuries. The guy we should have signed in the off season was Corey Patterson for exactly this reason – a leg injury, one which is notorious for re-injury, to your most important OF. Manuel and Amaro have been playing with fire by assuming they could drag the aging regulars out there everyday and neglect the bench .
This
I’m with you wl, but unless you’re dropping him to fill the void on the 25 man roster, don’t see how you can get away with it right now.
On a side note, jeesh! I take one night off to go to a wedding rehearsal and the end of the world begins! Giambi hits three home runs is written somewhere in revelations, no?
"only real CF"?
Isn’t he really a utility infielder?
Wouldn’t Mayberry be at least as good a choice for CF and offer a little more in terms of offense?
Was there a good reason why Worley was sent down, leaving Kendrick as the only available replacement starter for now? It’s not like he did badly during his time with the major league club.
by phillyinportland on May 20, 2011 3:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Some Random Thoughts
Kendrick is utterly useless. Can’t do spot starts, can’t be a long reliever, and has been ineffective in almost all high leverage situations he’s been put in this year.
Charlie has made a lot of interesting decisions during this 1-5 stretch, all of which have blown up in the team’s face and, with the case of Victorino, could have long lasting effects.
I can understand why the organization feels the need for a young high ceiling player like Dom Brown to get some more time to develop, but with the current situation this is getting ridiculous.
Bring Back the Expos
by Veni Vidi Vici on May 19, 2011 11:55 PM EDT reply actions
And everyone posting/writing poetry tonight has shown more effort than Kendrick or the Phillies did in winning the game tonight.
Bring Back the Expos
by Veni Vidi Vici on May 19, 2011 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Only "watched" on Gameday...
But is the problem effort? Or just not being a good enough player?
For example, I would have loved to play Major League baseball, but never got past Intermediate League Slow-Pitch Softball. Not for lack of effort, just lack of talent.
This is too hard on Kendrick, and perhaps too kind to me.
by Wet Luzinski on May 20, 2011 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions
Maybe Rube isnt all that he is cracked up to be. This offseason and current season has been a messed of screwed up moves and non moves
Some of this goes on Smuggles, but not all. He should have done a better job with the bench, yes, and perhaps should have come up with a better long man than KK. But considering the variability in reliever performance from year to year, there is no guarantee that anybody he signed would be an improvement.
Also, while some of this has to go on him, I don’t know that you can put all the blame on him- he did not know that Utley would not have made his major league debut by the middle of May, nor that Ryan Howard would have a week long stretch without a single hit. And he was wise enough to not trade away a starting pitcher either during the off season or after Utley went down this Spring. Yes, injuries are the bane of an older team’s existence- but to be this snakebit is pretty unforeseeable.
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 7:13 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
In other news...
Marlins and Braves both lose.
Time is not made of lines. It is made of circles. That is why clocks are round.
-Michael J Caboose
YAY!!
I saw that too. They also both lost series to bad teams. Phillies need that before they get back on track.
by PhilsForever on May 20, 2011 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions
Did he wind up staying in the Astros org after being DFA’ed? Or is he the newest returnee to the Phillies organization?
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 12:40 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
looks like he accepted assignment to AAA for Houston, actually.
by perfectdepth on May 20, 2011 9:38 AM EDT up reply actions
its not like they didnt have a heads up on the injuries..utley and lidge both werent healthy really going into spring. They just failed to address alot of shit in the offseason.
- Lidge was replaced pretty well internally. Madson and Contreras have pitched well, particularly Madson. Plus an in season or late pre-season trade for a relief pitcher is often a poor idea, as teams wind up overpaying for not much production.
- As for Utley, who did you want them to bring in? The fact is that good middle infield help is hard to find, and what was out there may well have been explored only to find that the cost ws too high to have it make sense.
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 7:18 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Regarding Utley, they didn’t really good “middle infield” help. Polly is a gold-glove 2B playing 3B. If you move him back home, you can fill his spot with a corner infielder, which should be easier to find.
Of course, they probably examined that possibility as well.
Ok… I should have phrased that about Utley to mean more that good infield help is not the easiest to find (I too think that the options they tours with included shifting Polanco back temporarilly)
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 12:01 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Was not referring to the obvious injuries. You can’t argue there has not been plenty more injuries besides utley and lidge.
by PhilsForever on May 21, 2011 1:07 AM EDT up reply actions
Trying to see the positive in this...
If we get Slumpmas and Cerberus out of the way all at the same time, does that mean that fun baseball could return starting the back end of June and continuing for the rest of the season?
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 12:42 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
On the bright side, the Phillies are notoriously dominant in interleague play, so we should see a breakout.
:’(
Well… Maybe the Iron Phils AAA squad will be better at it!
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 9:19 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
AAAA
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 9:19 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Tonight was apparently the actual beginning of the zombie apocalypse: Giambi’s gonna eat some brains tonight!
Aristotle was not Belgian, the principle of Buddhism is not "every man for himself", and the London Underground is not a political movement.
Ewwwww
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 7:51 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Milton Bradley is looking better and better….
and it makes me sick to even say that.
"You can commit no mistake and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life." - Jean-Luc Picard
What precisely makes an injury prone, unproductive headcase sound like a good idea to you?
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 9:20 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Michael Martinez roaming Center Field.
"You can commit no mistake and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life." - Jean-Luc Picard
So you want to trade one fielding liability for another?
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 10:25 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I don’t support bringing Bradley in, but he’s a real major league hitter.
http://www.thegoodphight.com
by WholeCamels on May 20, 2011 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions
Who was batting .218 for the Mariners before being released. Just don’t see what he brings to the table.
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 10:39 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
You’re right. When I think of similar hitters, Martinez and Bradley are pretty much a wash.
http://www.thegoodphight.com
by WholeCamels on May 20, 2011 10:41 AM EDT up reply actions
I am trying to understand what it is that you and others like about him- perhaps there is something I am missing that makes adding him worth considering other than his being a warm body with experience in the outfield.
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 10:44 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I never said I liked him, or that I wanted to bring him in, but he is a much better option than what this team is currently utilizing. And considering he won’t cost much at all, it might almost be worth it.
"You can commit no mistake and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life." - Jean-Luc Picard
I never said I liked him for this team. But he’s indisputably a better baseball player than Michael Martinez, and it’s not even close.
http://www.thegoodphight.com
by WholeCamels on May 20, 2011 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions
with enough walks & XBH for a 95 OPS+, better than anyone on the Phillies aside from Howard, Victorino, Polanco, and Mayberry.
not that I’m endorsing Bradley, but the bar is real low for improving the Phillies offense.
by perfectdepth on May 20, 2011 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions
Ok. Now there is an argument for bringing him in.
Offense, offense, where are you?
by dannijd on May 20, 2011 10:55 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Stick to your guns. Bradley seemed to be a constant irritant wherever he played and I can’t see that he has so much talent that he would be welcome on a team that has been to the playoffs four years in a row. Head case was the phrase somebody used, and that would be the last thing this team needs in addition to its injury problems.
by phillyinportland on May 21, 2011 2:01 AM EDT up reply actions
nobody was advocating bringing Bradley in.
http://www.thegoodphight.com
by WholeCamels on May 21, 2011 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions
I would hope not. SI had this gem from spring training on Bradley: He picked up a foul ball, acted like he was going to toss it to the 20 fans hollering for it, then threw it into the dugout. A first-class jerkwad.
by phillyinportland on May 21, 2011 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions
“Shane’s game is his legs, and if he doesn’t have his legs, he’s worthless.”
—CF Shane Victorino, talking about the impact of his hamstring injury before the game. At that time, Victorino and the Phillies didn’t believe that he was headed for the disabled list.
Did you really just talk about himself in the 3rd person is this a horribly attributed quote?
"Call me dumb, call me stupid, whatever. I block shots."
@boknows71
Is this Opportunity knocking?
O.K., I am not usually the “glass is even fuller than it seems” guy, but is this an opportunity?
Healthy Worley is better than injured Blanton. In two starts, he looked good, bring him up and see what he can do.
Mayberry has been playing well. Put him in center field and bring up Brown for right field.
Charlie has been saying that the team lacks enthusiasm…couldn’t getting 3 young guys into the lineup, eager to contribute and prove themselves provide that enthusiasm, too?
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