Chan Ho Park Gives Only The Honest Answers

I miss Chan Ho Park already. I really really do. He is a straight shooter that gives only honest reasons and answers. Take for instance when he was asked about his poor performance on opening night against the Red Sox, there was a perfectly legitimate (if not disgusting) explanation as to why Chan Ho performed below expectations. Instead of telling you what it is, I'll let Chan Ho Park explain you why himself.



I seriously can't stop watching and laughing. I have no idea who that is laughing in the background but whomever he/they is/are, it totally makes the video that much better. Good times for Chan Ho Park's digestive system.....actually, come to think of it, I don't think his digestive system had that good a time on last Sunday night.

Jamie Moyer On Being Demoted To The Pen

I've said this before and I'll say it again, I think Jamie Moyer is a great guy and despite his recent struggles and inconsistency, I still really like him as a pitcher. That being said, I am in fact eager to see Pedro Martinez pitch tomorrow. It's a shame that Moyer had to leave but with the rest of the group, there really was no one else the Phils could reasonably take out of the starting rotation. Naturally, Jamie Moyer feels a little disheartened by the demotion but perhaps not for the obvious reasons. He claims he feels "misled" and had these words to say on the subject matter.

"I'm really not happy with this decision that the Phillies have made," he said, sitting in the stands behind the first-base dugout. "I will take what they've asked me to do, but I'm not really excited about the decision that has been made. Ultimately, I'm a little dishearted because this past winter when I was negotiating with the Phillies this was a sore thumb, if you will, about this potentially happening.

"You can't promise anything in this game, but I really felt that Ruben (Amaro Jr.) parlayed to me that this type of situation would not happen. Actually, even had some discussion with David (Montgomery) with them reassuring me that this type of situation wouldn't happen. Again, I'm a little disheartend by the way it's happened, how it's happened. We're still in first place. I probably feel like I haven't contributed as well as I could have, but I think if you go around to the other 24 players on our club they would probably say the same type of thing.

"Whether I like it or not, this is the situation I'm in. I will deal with it. I will deal with it in a respectful way. I'll be respectful to my teammates. Like I said at the beginning, I do not want to be a distraction and I refuse to be a distraction. It's about the 25 players that are here. We all have to pick each other up. We all have to support each other. We all have to be professional about what we do. This is job that sometimes you're in situations that you like or dislike and you have to deal with it. That's why for me dealing with this like a man and taking whatever they choose to do. I'm an employee here, but I don't always have to like the situation that I'm in. And that's OK. Life goes on. But like I said, I feel a little disheartened. I feel a little bit like I've been misled. I feel like I've played this game long enough that the respect factor should be there."

Maybe he's just upset that he arrived too late for the MLB Network reality show, The Pen...

Seriously, though, I can't say that I disagree with anything he says. Let's just hope that Moyer can channel his anger in the bullpen and pitch well enough where if disaster strikes the starting rotation (and we know how injured the Phils starting rotation has been throughout the year), he can fill in on a moments notice. Curt Schilling may be famous for the bloody sock, but Jamie Moyer will now be remembered for his Toilet Bowl Performance in the World Series.

Pedro Martinez To Start Wednesday; Jamie Moyer To The Pen

All things considered, I guess this really is not much of a surprise. With the announcement last week that J.A. Happ would remain in the starting rotation, it was only a matter of time before the Phillies officially announced that Martinez would be in the starting rotation and Old Man Jamie Moyer would move to The Pen. And that is exactly what happened. From ESPN.com

The Philadelphia Phillies announced that Martinez will make his first start of the season on Wednesday at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs. Manager Charlie Manuel informed Moyer on Monday that he will move to the bullpen.

Martinez, 37, last pitched for the New York Mets in 2008, going 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA in 20 starts before injuries put him on the shelf. The Phillies signed him on July 15 and immediately put him on the disabled list with a shoulder strain.

In three rehabilitation starts in the minor leagues, Martinez went 1-1 with a 5.11 ERA.

"Based on our reports on how Pedro has pitched in his rehab starts, we felt it was time to move him into our rotation," Manuel said. "Jamie was a total professional and team player when we let him know of the decision to move him to the bullpen. He has been and will continue to be a very important part of this team."

In addition, Rodrigo Lopez has now been optioned back to the Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (I seriously doubt that there is any minor league affiliate period that has a team name than the Iron Pigs). And while I am certainly open to giving Martinez this chance, I am a little worried about Moyer in The Pen just because this is not really his style. Moyer is the type that typically struggles early and gets into a groove later (although he did the opposite yesterday), and that style may not play out so great in a bullpen. Alas, we'll just have to wait and see.

Phillies Trade Mainly Second Tier Prospects To Tribe For Cliff Lee

Even though I was at work all day, I am fully aware today of the Phillies earth-shattering trade. Carlos Carrasco, Jason Knapp, Jason Donald, and Lou Marson to Cleveland for Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco! You read that right (even though I doubt there is a person in the country that has not heard by now) Cliff Lee is a Phillie!

Instead of boring you with my unabashed joy or giving you a blockquote to a story that you already know, I'll offer up a few points on this worth considering.

First of all, what does this mean for the Phillies rotation as essentially we now have 7 active major league starting pitchers (Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer, Cliff Lee, Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ, Rodrigo Lopez, and Pedro Martinez who is currently completing minor league rehab stings) another on the 60-day DL (Brett Myers). Thus now that we've got Lee, what will become of the starting pitching line-up? My best guess is is that the Phillies will in all likelihood either sent Lopez back down to the minors, release him, or put him on waivers. Seeing as the Phillies are unlikely to move Jamie Moyer or Joe Blanton at this point, it is likely that either Pedro Martinez or J.A. Happ will be sent to The Pen while the one who is not sent to the Pen will be a starter in the rotation. My guess is that Happ will be the one that ends up in The Pen just because I can't imagine the Phillies moving Hall of Fame shoe-in Martinez to the Pen and I have even bigger problems seeing Martinez excepting that role.

Another interesting point that is worth bringing up are the Phillies really going for the jugular in a way that would even make the New York Yankees envious? Think about it. The Toronto Blue Jays in their first offer to the Phillies requested J.A. Happ, Kyle Drabek (the Phils top pitching prospect), and Dominic Brown (perhaps our top outfielding prospect), and none of them were traded to Cleveland. The Blue Jays' eyes are basically bugging out at the sight of Drabek, so you have to believe that that offer is still on the table. Now will the Phillies do it, I would certainly give it a less than 5% chance of happening, especially seeing as the Phillies like their prospects and with very few exceptions, are a home grown team and they value their prospect deeply (we can afford 4 for the Indians because the Phils do have great depth in the minor leagues at this point in time) but it is certainly worth thinking about it. Could you imagine a starting rotation featuring Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Pedro Martinez, and Jamie Moyer? Good grief!

Lastly, WHAT A DEAL THIS IS! As I said in the title, these are mainly 2nd tier prospects we gave up. The only one that I feel may have any chance at making it big in the majors is catcher Lou Marson. A year or 2 ago, Carlos Carrasco was seen in a light that the Phils view Kyle Drabek now. On The DL's Dan Levy put it best a week or so ago when discussing Phils trade options and some of our prospects that he has since become "persona non grata". He can get Ks, but he has struggled a bit, hence and the Phils feel that he needs to mature more. And that is evidenced just by the fact that the Phils have gone to the farm system numerous times for pitching this year (Happ, Bastardo, and Lopez) and not once has Carrasco even been brought up for a bull pen stint. Hell, Kyle Kendrick and Tyler Walker were chosen essentially over Carrasco to fill-in for what has suddenly become an injury plagued Phillies bullpen.

And you have to wonder when Cliff Lee will make his first Phillies start. Happ is scheduled to pitch tonight and even if he is destined for the bullpen, unless Cliff Lee is magically in Arizona and ready to go tonight, the Phils have no other starter that can go tonight, so he will still go. I do point out that after this trip to Arizona, the Phillies head to San Francisco for a 4-game series which will feature a Saturday showdown with Tim Lincecum. Could you imagine? Cliff Lee vs. Tim Lincecum? Talk about one hell of a pitching duel.

Phillies land Lee from Tribe (MLB.com)

Rejoice Again, Philadelphia! Ryan Madson Is Going To Be The Interim Closer!

All I'll say is that it's about damn time! Once again, from the Philadelphia Inquirer

Madson is the Phils' new closer. He inherited the job when Brad Lidge gave in to the obvious yesterday: Power pitchers who don't have full use of their push leg are no longer power pitchers. They're batting-practice pitchers.

[....]

Benefiting from improved conditioning and dedication to his craft - not to mention many pep talks from Lidge - Madson went from a solid reliever to a spectacular reliever late last season and in the postseason. His fastball jumped 3 or 4 m.p.h. and hit 97 m.p.h. on occasion. That made his already excellent change-up that much more effective.

In short, Madson showed closer's stuff during his emergence as an eighth-inning shutdown man. He seemed to be lining up to be a very attractive closer possibility on the free-agent market after this season, but he opted instead for the financial security of a three-year, $12 million deal - good money, but not top closer money.

Now we get to see how much Madson left on the table.

Now we get to see if he really has closer's stuff.

Oh, the arm and the stuff are there. There's no question about that. But does Madson have the stomach to close for who knows how long? Can he close in big games against the Mets and the Red Sox (this weekend) and the Blue Jays after that? Can he close in a pennant race? The Phillies hope that question becomes irrelevant. They hope Lidge returns, in top form, by that time. But you never know, especially with a knee that's been operated on twice and continues to swell.

The Phils are fortunate that J.C. Romero is back from his suspension to help fortify the back end of the bullpen with Lidge out and Madson elevated. If Madson fails, Romero could close. He certainly has the stomach to do it.

But for now, the job belongs to Madson. He has earned the opportunity.

Like I said, it's about damn time! With the way that Lidge has been struggling and the way that Madson has just been lights out as an 8th inning set-up man, here's hoping that Madson can win the job permanently in the next 15-days. Madson had a chance to walk away last off-season and sign as a closer with another team, instead he stayed with Philadelphia and settled for a smaller amount of money than he could have gotten elsewhere. And as far as the pressure goes, Madson says that he is ready.

"This year, yeah, more than the previous years, just because in the playoffs and World Series, every inning was big," Madson said before the Phillies opened a three-game series against the New York Mets at Citi Field. "I'm more prepared this year than I have been in the past."

With a searing fastball that frequently reaches 96 m.p.h. and a paralyzing change-up, Madson leaves little doubt that he has a closer's arsenal. He has had three save opportunities this season, blowing one. Overall, though, he has been outstanding. Madson went into last night's game with 12 straight scoreless appearances covering 102/3 innings. He had inherited five runners and allowed none to score. He had not allowed a run since May 16 and had given up only seven in his 29 appearances. Madson was 2-1 with a 2.22 ERA.

"I could have just done my thing in the seventh and eighth innings for the next couple years and been happy with that, but now I have to get it done so [Lidge] doesn't feel the pressure to rush back because we'll need him," Madson said.

Madson said the main difference between being a setup man and a closer is that a closer knows he is definitely going to pitch in certain situations.

"I guess it's nice to know when you'll definitely be coming in for one inning," he said.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel sounded confident that Madson could do the job.

"He's definitely got the talent and I think he's earned a shot," Manuel said. "If Brad can't go, he's definitely the guy I want to put in there."

And Madson is definitley the guy I want in there, more so than Lidge. Whenever Lidge comes in anymore, I get tense and nervous, but when Madson pitches an inning, I feel relaxed, knowing that any damage done to the Phillies on the scoreboard will be minimal. This is Madson's chance to make it big. Go get 'em kid, the whole city is rooting for you.

Here's A Pitch That's Just A Bit Outside

You can chalk this one up in the blooper category for Barry Zito....



Either that ball slipped out of Barry Zito's hands or Barry Zito has gone senile. And I would consider the latter as a real possibility as well...

The Phillies Have Named Their 5th Opening Day Starter

Just this little bit of information that I wanted to pass on to you. After months of competition and speculation, the Phillies have finally named the 5th man in their rotation. It is ex-Dodger releiver Chan Ho Park.

And thus, that leaves the Phillies starting rotation at the beginning of the year as Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer, Joe Blanton, and J.A. Happ.

And the Phillies have also released 3rd baseman, Geoff Jenkins, presumably so that they can keep Matt Stairs on the roster. 10-years from now, Matt Stairs homerun in Game 4 of the NLCS will be remembered as the homerun that broke The Curse of William Penn and set the Phillies up on their run to the World Series. Every World Series run has their defining moment, and for the Phillies it was the Stairs homerun.

If all goes according to plan, I will be live blogging opening day right here at Fire Andy Reid Now! And what a shame, Nathan, it will be back to the old-forman of using Blogger directly (as opposed to CiL), which means that you cannot impersonate other people. Bummer, dude.

Phillies release Jenkins and The Phils name the 5th member of their starting rotation (All Things Philly Sports)