Posts Tagged ‘Darin Ruf’

Following The 40: Off-season Primer

October 12th, 2015 by Mike H. | Comments Off on Following The 40: Off-season Primer | Filed in Baseball, General, MLB, Phillies

philliesband

As the Phillies off-season begins, the first order of business was to pair down the roster to 40 players including ones that would be coming off of injured status. Earlier last week, the Phillies outrighted Justin De Fratus (who recently elected free agency), Jonathan Pettibone, Adam Loewen, Ken Roberts, Erik Kratz, Jordan Danks, and Chase d’Arnaud. The roster currently stands at forty, but with a strong likelihood that Cliff Lee, Chad Billingsley, Aaron Harang, Jerome Williams, Brian Bogusevic, Jeff Francoeur, and Andres Blanco all head to free agency.

Francoeur and Blanco are expected to be asked to return, but will both certainly be given offers with other clubs. Domonic Brown may have seen his last inning as a Phillie as he has a very strong chance of being non-tendered a contract. Jesse Biddle and David Buchanan are both likely to be outrighted in the near future due to their respective injury statuses. That sets the Phillies at 30 players.

Whoever the next General Manager may be, while they have the resources, there probably won’t be any huge splashes for 2016. In fact, the Phillies acquisitions will most likely be role players and players coming off of injury looking to establish value. The rotation will most likely consist of Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff, and Adam Morgan as pitchers three thru five with Alec Asher and Severino Gonzalez given opportunities.

Matt Harrison, whom the Phillies acquired at the trade deadline in the Cole Hamels deal, could also be an option if he is healthy enough to compete. The Phillies could also add from within with Zach Eflin and Ben Lively as potential candidates. My personal targets for the Phillies to add from free agency: Mat Latos or Doug Fister.

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Deconstructing The Phillies: Corner Infield

October 25th, 2014 by Mike H. | Comments Off on Deconstructing The Phillies: Corner Infield | Filed in Baseball, Phillies

Next up in the series is the corner infield positions. What should the Phillies do at the hot corner? Can the Phillies do anything with Ryan Howard? There’s definitely depth at the major league level, but who is the right man for the job? I’m still playing GM and keeping a running tally of the moves and roster spots being taken both in my vision and my counterpart’s. If you’re even remotely intrigued and/or agree with my overhaul, click past the jump to see where I’m going this week. (more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

More Bad News For The Phils

March 22nd, 2014 by AmyMac | Comments Off on More Bad News For The Phils | Filed in Baseball, General, MLB, Phillies
My feelings exactly, Phanatic.

My feelings exactly, Phanatic.

By Amy McGinnis

The Philadelphia Phillies have been having a standout Spring Training in the Grapefruit League – and by “standout,” I mean that they look as though they don’t even belong in the standings at all.  Although a W-L record is somewhat meaningless in Spring Training, it’s embarrassing that we’re currently 6-14.  For those of you keeping track, that’s a .300 record.  We can blame injuries all we want, but the truth hurts: Asche, Brown, and Utley are batting .139, .171, and .190, respectively.

As if that weren’t sad enough, we’re down two more  players.  Freddy Galvis, whose wife gave birth to their first child last weekend, is currently hospitalized with MRSA.  Outfielder Darin Ruf is also out, reportedly for 4-6 weeks, thanks to a left oblique strain.  It’s not the end of the world, but it’s not looking good.  Throw in Jimmy Rollins’s laziness and Cole Hamels’s late start, and we’ve got ourselves a bit of a mess.

Phils take on the Pirates tomorrow at McKechnie Field at 1:05.  Both teams are set to send RHP starters (Burnett and Pimentel).  Pirates are currently 11-8 in Spring Training.

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sure, We Love Chip and the Eagles … But the Phillies Are Still Worth Watching Too!

September 13th, 2013 by Jim Chesko | 2 Comments | Filed in Baseball, General, Phillies

rynesandberg

Yes, football season is here, and thanks to an amazing first-half offensive onslaught that carried the Eagles to a season-opening win over the host Washington Redskins, most Birds’ fans are ready to proclaim rookie head coach Chip Kelly the new Vince Lombardi.

So the question is: Are you still keeping tabs on the Phillies? (Remember them? The baseball team?) If you’re a die-hard Phils fan, there’s actually a good bit of intrigue to the final few weeks of this disappointing 2013 season. Among the key issues that may or may not become clearer between now and Sept. 29:

Is Ryne Sandberg the right manager for this team going forward? Well, that will be up to General Manager Ruben Amaro to decide, but with the team showing significantly more life since Sandberg succeeded Charlie Manuel last month and a 14-11 record (through Wednesday), the guess is that the Hall of Famer has almost certainly earned the job on a full-time basis. Of course, if the Angels fire Mike Sciosca after the season and he wants to return to his Philly-area roots, that could complicate the decision for Amaro.

Has Carlos Ruiz earned another season in Philly? Around Aug. 1, it seemed like a sure bet that “Chooch’s” days as a Phillie were numbered. But Ruiz has really picked things up over the past six weeks or so offensively (batting well over .300 in that time, with some renewed power as well), and his handling of the pitching staff has always been a major positive. So, the odds have improved greatly that he’ll be back for at least one more year. But keep an eye on that situation over the rest of September,

What will the Phillies’ bullpen look like next year? Amaro’s vow to improve the team’s 7th and 8th inning relief corps last offseason didn’t work out so well, and closer Jonathan Papelbon has been less reliable since July 1, so the performance of guys like Jake Diekman and B.J. Rosenberg here in September will go a long way to Amaro’s thought process about the Phils’ 2014 bullpen. Rosenberg looked pretty comfortable in finishing off the Braves on Sunday for his first save. Just sayin’.

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Countdown To Opening Day 2013: 13 Days

March 19th, 2013 by Mike H. | Comments Off on Countdown To Opening Day 2013: 13 Days | Filed in Baseball, General, Phillies

13days

With under two weeks left until the season opener in Atlanta, decisions need to be made about outfield. Obviously, Ben Revere is going to be the center fielder from day one, but who will be flanking him? Many say that Dom Brown’s hot spring should secure him the right field job, but what about left field?

After a horrendously slow start, Darin Ruf has hit a solid .273 since March 8. People will still likely point to the small sample size, but isn’t the majority of Spring Training small sample sizes? Maybe Ruf is just a slow starter. I’d really like to see Ruf get the opportunity to play without having to worry about getting sent down.

Tags: , , , , ,

Spring Training is in Full Swing

March 10th, 2013 by AmyMac | Comments Off on Spring Training is in Full Swing | Filed in Baseball, General, Phillies

phillies

By Amy McGinnis

Yesterday morning, future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera made his official retirement announcement in Tampa.  Though I’m far from a Yankees fan, I don’t see how any true fan of baseball can look at Rivera and not fall in love with him and his career.  Arguably the greatest closer of all time, Mo has always allowed his work to speak for itself.  As promised, Rivera delivered his announcement before Opening Day; his wife and children were by his side as he spoke at the Yankees’ spring training complex.  Incidentally, the entire team was also present … in uniform.  “I’m a team player,” Rivera said. “If it wasn’t for my teammates, I wouldn’t have the opportunity … That’s the legacy that I want to leave — that I was there for others.” Not a surprising announcement, but a bittersweet one nontheless.  If you are a fan of Rivera’s, or of the Yankees, or of baseball, or of sports, or of human excellence – I insist that you get yourself to a Yankees game this season to see Mo pitch.  His talent is unparallelled; additionally, Mariano Rivera carries himself in such an exemplary fashion that all athletes should look to emulate.  It is possible to be a great athlete and still be respectful, classy, sportsmanlike, and humble (Bryce Harper, you should be taking notes, son).  No other player in MLB deserved to keep his #42 jersey the way Mo did.  Mr. Rivera, I wish you a healthy and memorable 2013 season.  Thank you, sir, for your invaluable contribution to baseball.  Eighteen seasons, all with New York … with 608 saves and 1119 strikeouts, Mo’s career averages thus far are fantastic.  Rivera has pitched 1219.2 innings, with a 2.21 ERA, 0.998 WHIP, and 8.3 K/9. Allow that to sink in for a minute.

Meanwhile, in Arizona … Tyson Gillies threw down for Team Canada.  I mean that literally … he physically tossed Alfredo Aceves  (Team Mexico) to the ground during a melee on the field.  The good news: it’s the World Baseball Classic, and no one really cares.

In Florida, spring training is well underway for the Phils, and there are some things worth noting.  Dom Brown has 16 hits (including 3 bombs) in 37 at bats.  The battle for the outfield is on, and I really want Dom Brown to succeed. Ryan Howard looks the way he usually does in August – four homeruns in spring training so far.  Isn’t it so nice having Howard and Utley in the lineup in March? Darin Ruf, whose spring training has been off to a shaky start, was hit in the tricep by a pitch today; he’s day-t0-day at this point.  Erik Kratz, aka the most pleasant surprise during the 2012 season, has 4 hits thus far in spring training – a triple, a homerun, and five RBIs.  That man blocks the plate like a beast and loves extra-base hits … especially in light of Carlos Ruiz’s 25-game suspension that will begin in April, I say thank God for Erik Kratz. Most importantly (to me, anyway), Cole Hamels shook off his rocky outing from last week and pitched efficiently through five innings today in a 7-1 win over Houston today.  I’m honestly not currently worried about the Phils’ pitching staff; spring training is the time and place for pitchers to get back up to speed, as it were.

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Countdown To Opening Day: 29 Days

March 2nd, 2013 by Mike H. | Comments Off on Countdown To Opening Day: 29 Days | Filed in General

Sorry for the late start this season, but yes, our fightin’ Phils are just over four weeks away from the season opener in Atlanta. I guess I’d like to start by looking at the position that is the biggest question mark. Right now the only outfielder the Phillies truly have penciled in is Ben Revere. If you figure the Phillies need two starting outfielders and at least two reserve outfielders, Charlie Manuel and company need to pick four out of Domonic Brown, Darrin Ruf, Laynce Nix, John Mayberry Jr., Ender Inciarte, and Delmon Young.

Young will most likely start 2013 on the disabled list. Despite his inconsistency, I believe the Phillies keep Mayberry around because he can play all three outfield positions and first base. RAJ picked Inciarte in this past winter’s Rule V draft and hasn’t been the type to offer the player back. (See Herndon, David and Martinez, Michael) With Manuel supposedly enamored with Ruf and Brown’s start to the spring, is Laynce Nix out there as trade bait for a PTBNL? Or is he simply someone who is cut after the last On Deck Series game at the end of the month?

What becomes of Delmon Young also needs to be addressed. Is he this year’s Luis Castillo? Brought in as insurance, only to be cut or eventually passed onto another team ala Scott Podsednik from last season. Personally, I hope Ruf and Brown get the opportunity to be the Opening Day outfielders. 2013 needs to be Brown’s sink or swim season and Ruf just needs to prove his defense is at least on the level of Pat Burrell and Raul Ibanez.

Tags: , , ,