Phillies casually leave Raul Ibanez behind in Seattle
Following a 2-0 loss to the Mariners, the Phillies casually left Seattle on Monday without telling left fielder Raul Ibanez, hoping no one would notice for a while.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” manager Charlie Manuel said of giving Ibanez the wrong departure time and canceling his morning wakeup call. “I’ve never heard of that guy before in my life. I think you’ve got me mixed up with some other guy. But, I hope you find out what happened to this Ibanez fella, though. He sounds like he used to be a pretty good ballplayer.”
Manuel was later asked whether he had heard from either Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco, Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz or Ben Francisco, who also went missing after Sunday’s loss and were not on the flight to St. Louis for Tuesday’s series opener against the Cardinals.
“Nope. Sorry, not ringing a bell,” Manuel said. “I feel bad for whoever this manager is that keeps losing his players like this though. I hope he gets them back at some point.”
New rule to allow pitchers to DH for Phillies batters
Major League Baseball took a gigantic step toward improving the quality of offense during Phillies games by allowing pitchers to serve as designated hitters for position players.
With the Phillies’ run production the worst it has been in 20 years, the new rule would give the team a significant boost offensively as manager Charlie Manuel will now be able to let a pitcher like Cole Hamels bat for Ryan Howard during games.
“I really like the rule and think it could really get our offense going,” Manuel said. “Even if it’s a slight upgrade, like plugging Danys [Baez] in the leadoff spot for Jimmy [Rollins], I think we’re a better team this way.”
The Phillies also proposed a rule that would allow batters to start every at bat with a 3-0 count, but it was rejected by the league because it probably wouldn’t help the team score more runs anyway.
Count worked by Phillies batter
Phillies leadoff hitter Shane Victorino was able to work a count and draw a walk on Wednesday against the Brewers, marking the first time a Phillies batter took a pitch for a ball since Ryan Howard worked a 1-0 count back on April 9.
“That’s why I love baseball. You watch enough games and you’ll see something you’ve never seen before,” Victorino said of his fourth inning walk. “And the whole team meeting me at first base to give me high fives was awesome.”
Following Victorino’s leadoff walk to start the fourth inning, Placido Polanco grounded into a double play and Jimmy Rollins lined out to center field on five pitches from Brewers pitcher Chris Narveson. That’s not even a joke, that really happened.
Phillies say this the year Jimmy Rollins finally gets on base
The re-aquisition of Cliff Lee has the Phillies plenty excited for the upcoming season, but general manager Ruben Amaro said Tuesday that his team is actually more anxious to see if this could be the year that Jimmy Rollins finally breaks through and reaches base.
“We really think this is his year, without a doubt,” said Amaro. “He’s got all the tools to make it happen. He’s got a bat, he’s got legs, arms, eyes, brain. All that stuff. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets on twice this year.”
In preparation for his season and his pursuit of a base, Rollins has dedicated a great deal of his offseason trying to discover new talent for his record label, Jimmy Rollins Entertainment Group.
Phillies explode for four runs to win epic fifth inning
Placido Polanco’s two-run double highlighted an epic four-run rally as the Phillies sealed a crucial fifth-inning victory over the Giants.
“We had our backs against the wall and responded with a solid inning of baseball,” Jimmy Rollins said of his team that was shut out in its previous 15 innings. “We definitely proved we’re more than capable of winning three more innings in this series.”
Following a lengthy locker room celebration after the win, the Phillies returned to play four more innings of clueless baseball in another embarrassing loss to the Giants.
September inducted into Phillies Wall of Fame
Ninth month of the year, September, was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame on Thursday, becoming the first month to accomplish the feat.
The month will join such Phillies greats as Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton and Harry Kalas on the Wall of Fame, but is the first inductee to be enshrined as an active member of the team.
“Plain and simple, the Phillies aren’t the Phillies without you, September,” Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins said during the ceremony. “It’s not just that you make us better players, but it’s also that you make everyone else in the league play like butt cheeks. We pretty much owe our careers to you, so from the whole team, we just wanna say ‘thanks, September.’ Don’t ever change.”
Following the ceremony, the Phillies announced the finalists for next year’s induction into the Wall of Fame which include Desi Relaford, Toby Borland, Kevin Sefcik and October.
Phillies offense continues to struggle against pitching
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda carried a no-hitter into the 8th inning against Philadelphia as the Phillies offense continued its lengthy struggle against pitching Monday night.
“We’ll be fine,” Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins said of the team’s offensive drought. “We just need to improve in situations against pitchers that throw pitches. We’re not concerned though.”
Manager Charlie Manuel said Tuesday that while he does not plan on benching any players if the drought continues, he will continue to pinch hit for rookie Domonic Brown “in any future situations against pitching.”
Phillies hope to fill void at second base with infielder Utley
After several unsuccessful attempts to permanently fill their hole at second base, the Phillies will turn to infielder Chase Utley in a move some are already calling ‘desperate’.
“It’s getting late in the season and the trade deadline has past, so our options are limited right now,” said general manager Ruben Amaro. “I hope this kid can play.”
The Phillies, who considered trading for help at second base just last month, have used Wilson Valdez at the position and even moved Placido Polanco over from third base to try and solve the growing problem up the middle. Now out of options, the team will rely on Utley to carry the load for the rest of the season.
“Hopefully, Utley will give us a guy we can count on for this year and possibly into the future,” said Jimmy Rollins. “But, we don’t want to put too much pressure on the guy. Whatever he can give us is fine.”
Sources close to the Phillies indicate that the team will now turn its attention to filling another void by acquiring left-handed first baseman Ryan Howard.
Several Phillies players call out sick of hitting
The Phillies announced that they will likely be without most of their lineup for tonight’s game against the Cardinals after at least 11 players called out sick of hitting this morning.
“You’re only supposed to get like five sick of hitting days a year but Jimmy’s gotta be pushing 50 by now,” said manager Charlie Manuel. ” I know they’re genuinely sick of hitting, but there are plenty of people out there sick of watching them hit and yet they still watch. These guys are gonna have to suck it up and start showing up to work again.”
Sources close to the Phillies are also expecting reliever Danys Baez to call out sick of pitching again any minute now.
Rollins wants to go back to DL after struggling on the outside
Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins was released from the Disabled List on Monday but the former MVP is already talking about wanting to return after struggling to adjust to life on the outside, a sign that he may be institutionalized.
Rollins was 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the Phillies’ 12-2 romp over the Pirates on Monday, his first game back after serving a one-month stint on the Phillies bench.
“There’s a harsh truth to face. No way I’m gonna make it on the outside,” said Rollins, who began his temporary job as a three-hole hitter on Monday. “All I do anymore is think of ways to injure myself so they’ll send me back. I could injure Kyle [Kendrick] while I’m at it, sort of like a bonus.”
Phillies pitcher Ryan Madson is currently serving a two-month stretch for aggravated assault on a metal folding chair, though Madson maintains his life was threatened and acted in self defense.
