A Slightly Aimless Rant about...Phillies Management

The people who run the Phillies have done an incredible job turning this team into probably the most respected team in the sport. They won a championship in 2008, and instead of taking the accomplishment as a chance to fall back into obscurity (figuring they had a decent grace period owed to them), they went ahead and made the moves that would assure them long-term dominance. The moves probably don’t need to be retraced since they have been talked about ad nauseum in the year’s since, but let’s do a quick version anyway: they went out to get Cliff Lee to try and repeat in 2009; they got rid of Lee, but went out and got a superior ace in Roy Halladay; they traded for Roy Oswalt when they realized how stupid it was to get rid of Lee; realizing that Oswalt was not quite enough to replace Lee, they simply said “F*ck it,” and went out and reacquired the lefty; satisfied with having the best rotation in baseball, but realizing that their team would struggle to score runs in the postseason without a competent right-handed bat, they went out and recalled Hunter Pence from their quadruple-A minor league affiliate, the Houston Astros. Bottom line is the Phillies have done what it has taken to build a franchise that is second to none.

Props Out: Ruben Amaro Jr.

Today, we are throwing some love in the direction of Philadelphia Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. The dude done did it again. He detected a weakness on his team that could keep them from succeeding, and he went out and filled the hole. Two years ago, it was nabbing Cliff Lee from the Cleveland Indians. Last year, it was jacking Roy Oswalt from the "Happ-less" Houston Astros. This July 29 (amazingly, all three trades have happened on the same date), he went out and pried rightfielder Hunter Pence away from those same erstwhile Colt 45s (apparently the guy has an affinity for robbing former Phillies GM Ed Wade).

For the last week, as the trade deadline in Major League Baseball has approached, I have been telling anyone who would listen to me that the Phillies needed to go out and snag Pence (in fact, I feel stupid that I did not write it in these airwaves because I would have looked like a frigging genius). First of all, he immediately fills a hole in your lineup because of his right-handed bat (watch Ryan Howard's numbers go up now with proper protection). He is a guy who hits for a .308 average on a team where someone hitting .250 is a rarity. He plays right field proficiently and has a rocket for an arm. Anyone who has seen Dominic Brown out there (diving for balls awkwardly, throwing the ball all over the place, jogging after balls in the corner) over the last few months knows that you would not have wanted him prowling the outfield when the games really started to count.

Thirty Quick Thoughts on...the Philadelphia Phillies

1) At the halfway point of the season, the Phillies are 55-33, and in first place by three games, and the only thing I can say about that is...how? Chase Utley has been hurt. Shane Victorino has been hurt twice. Placido Polanco may be crippled for life...but he'll play in the All-Star Game. Roy Oswalt aggravated an injury trying to fight for the Confederacy a la Robert E. Lee. Three different closers have spent extended time on the disabled list. Every other game seems to feature the opposing pitcher throwing a no-hitter into the fifth. Meanwhile, the manager would never be accused of having a LaRussa-esque mind for strategy and innovation. Yet, here they are set to make another majestic October run. How can this be?

2011 Phillies Preview...After Reviewing Three Games

Yeah, I guess this isn't really a preview, huh? I did already see three games. Good thing, too! If I hadn't I probably would have been ringing the alarm bells along with everyone else!

CHASE UTLEY IS HURT!

DOMINIC BROWN BROKE HIS HAND!

BRAD LIDGE CAN'T THROW A BASEBALL!

JAYSON WERTH'S BEARD IS PLAYING FOR THE WASHINGTON LAUGHINGSTOCKS!

Yes, the reasons for concern were out there! But after watching three games, one thing is already clear: