It Was Ten Years Ago Today

[zambonir]

I wonder if Chooch is staying in shape, thinking he might get the call. Kind of assuming he's in Panama. I'm sure he could have taken a minor league deal if he'd wanted one.

Gillick is going on the Wall of Fame for the alumni weekend (along with Halladay obviously) so I wonder if they're hoping to do anything else. Rollins' goal of actually playing an inning looks less likely now (not that it ever was).

[EastFallowfield]

5/23/08

Another big game for Ryan Howard as Phils batter Roy Oswalt, whose ERA is in the 5's these days. But it's now time for yet another Adam Eaton game, he's still looking for a win in 2008. Jayson Werth hurt himself swinging in last night's game, oblique injury perhaps.

Game Thread 5/23: Phillies (Eaton) at Astros (Backe)

[Philsmania]

I wonder if Chooch is staying in shape, thinking he might get the call. Kind of assuming he's in Panama. I'm sure he could have taken a minor league deal if he'd wanted one.

Gillick is going on the Wall of Fame for the alumni weekend (along with Halladay obviously) so I wonder if they're hoping to do anything else. Rollins' goal of actually playing an inning looks less likely now (not that it ever was).

Yeah, I forgot about Madson. It looked like Blanton had successfully reinvented himself as a good reliever but seemed to implode in 2017.

Rollins has said that as a matter of principle, he doesn't want to sign one of those ceremonial "sign and retire" contracts. He actually wants to play, if even for an inning. In the alternative, he appears perfectly content to have his career fade to black without ceremony. If the Phillies can spare a forty man roster spot in late-September, perhaps grant him his wish on Fan Appreciation Day. Otherwise, yes, it's unlikely.

And yes, I too was thinking that Ruiz could still be a useful backup catcher for someone.

[bkeich]

If the Phillies can spare a forty man roster spot in late-September, perhaps grant him his wish on Fan Appreciation Day. Otherwise, yes, it's unlikely.

I seriously doubt it. We are very short of 40 man spots, cant see having an opening unless we get crushed with long term injuries.

Honestly, I dont like the precedent either. Rollins was a good player, very good, he is a marginal HOF, probably gets in, and while a fan favorite he had some bad moments too. There are many players of higher statue than him that might want the same kind of treatment. Chase Utley for example was a better player overall IMHO, and that is just 1 team. There are probably 10 or so guys playing right now that are better than Rollins in his prime.

[zambonir]

Jimmy just likes to run his mouth, but also, there's no need to actually have one of those "retire as a Phillies player" ceremonies. He'll get plenty of ceremonies.

If he really seriously wanted to do that it would have had to have been last season, when the team was losing, and even then it probably doesn't happen.

It doesn't even make sense, really - he's saying he wants it be more than "ceremonial," but the whole process just calls further attention to the fact that it is. It would be a stunt, not something he earned.

"If we do it for Jimmy we might have to do it for Chase" is definitely not something I'm worried about though

[EastFallowfield]

5/24/08

Phils lose another Eaton start, Werth to the DL to be replaced by TJ Bohn, hitting a mighty .162 at Lehigh Valley.

Now it's the disappointing Myers' turn.

Game Thread 5/24: Phillies (Myers) at Astros (Moehler)

[EastFallowfield]

5/25/08

Phils having another one of those stretches where everybody's struggling with RISP and doing just enough to lose. Back in 3rd place, but it's Cole Hamels time.

Game Thread Sunday 5/25 Hamels-Sampson

[EastFallowfield]

5/26/08

Phils score 15 in rout of the Astros. One of those games when you wish they'd 'save some runs for tomorrow'.

It's the final series vs the Rockies unless there's a rematch in the 2008 postseason. If Moyer wins today he will have beaten all 30 franchises.

Game Thread Memorial Day 2008 Rockies (De la Rosa) vs Moyer

[EastFallowfield]

5/27/08

Guess they did save some runs from Sunday, as they put up 20 as a followup to scoring 15. Utley with 6 RBIs, Feliz and Coste with 4 each. So Taguchi even chipped in, getting his average over the Mendoza line. Kyle Kendrick hopes they saved some offense for him.

Despite all this, the 2008 Phillies are not in first place.

Game Thread 5/27: Rockies (Jimenez) vs. Phillies (Kendrick)

[EastFallowfield]

5/28/08

They did score enough for Kendrick, going for the sweep today with Adam Eaton still looking for a win.

Game Thread 5/28: Rockies (Reynolds) at Phillies (Eaton)

[EastFallowfield]

5/29/08

Phils sweep the Rockies outta here. Day off. Next up are the Florida Marlins, who've been in first place for most of the season's first two months. Phils are a half game out, hope to build on their season long 4 game winning streak tomorrow.

[EastFallowfield]

5/30/08

Ok, the battle for first is on.

5/30/08 GDT Marlins (Hendrickson) vs. Phillies (Myers)

[EastFallowfield]

5/31/08

60 runs in 5 games. Utley leads the league in homers and RBI. Even Brett Myers is chipping in, helping the Phils to their 5th straight win and taking over first place again.

Now we got Hamels looking to keep it going.

Game Thread 5-31-08 Marlins (Nolasco) vs Phils (Hamels)

[EastFallowfield]

6/1/08

Hamels and Phils lose to the Marlins, drop back to 2nd place. However, we have Jaime Moyer and his 7-0 record vs the Marlins headed to the mound today vs Andrew Miller, who's not really cutting it as a starter.

6/01/08 GDT Marlins (Miller) vs. Phillies (Moyer)

[EastFallowfield]

6/2/08

Phils take the finale, and 2 of 3 vs the Marlins to retake first place. We'll see if the Marlins can win their first division title as 2008 plays out.*

The Reds come in next, Ken Griffey Jr looking for his 600th home run.

Game Thread 6-2-08 Reds (Arroyo) vs Kendrick (Griffey out)

Elsewhere, Bo Diddley passed on.

*Spoiler: The Marlins would never return to first place in 2008.

[EastFallowfield]

6/3/08

Utley homered again, 5th straight game, his 2nd streak that long in '08. Phils a season high 9 games over .500 and up a game and a half. Great homestand so far, can it continue?

Game Thread 6-3-08 Reds (Harang) vs Eaton (Griffey out)

Elsewhere, Obama wins enough delegates to clinch the Democratic nomination for President with a win in Montana.

[EastFallowfield]

6/4/08

Well, Utley wasn’t able to keep his homer streak going in a sixth straight game, but the Phils did win again, a season high 10 games over .500.

Elsewhere, sounds like John Smoltz is undergoing surgery, some think he's gonna retire*.

Going for the sweep vs Cincy.

Game Thread 6/4: Reds (Volquez) at Phillies (Myers)

*Spoiler: Not yet

[EastFallowfield]

6/5/08

Phils could not beat, nor score off of, Edison Volquez, who leads the NL in ERA. They'll try to make it 3 of 4 vs the Reds vs young Homer Bailey, still trying to stick in the majors in his second season.

Also, it's draft day. Phils take Anthony Hewitt, a high schooler from Connecticut. Later they'd select Vance Worley, Jason Knapp, Michael Stutes, Michael Schwimmer, Tyler Cloyd, Trevor May, Jonathan Pettitbone, etc etc.

Game Thread 6/5: Reds (Bailey) at Phils (Hamels), + Griffey

[EastFallowfield]

6/6/08

JRoll benched yesterday for 'not hustling'. Phils won 5-0, and onto Atlanta for 3.

Game Thread 6/6: Moyer (Phillies) vs. Hudson (Atlanta)

[EastFallowfield]

6/7/08

What a win in Atlanta last night. Kelly Johnson dropping a pop to let the Phils tie the game in the 9th, then Vic throwing out the runner to end the game. Phils are up by 3 1/2 games, biggest lead so far in '08. Jayson Werth coming off the DL today. Chris Snelling, who got a key double in extras last night, sent down. He's hitting .500 with 2 huge hits.*

Game Thread 6/7: Kendrick (Phillies) vs. Reyes (Atlanta)

*Spoiler: He would never play in the majors again. Some foreshadowing in this thread: Werth Up, Snelling Down