Burrell Has Stars In His Eyes
The numbers add up. Pat Burrell should make his first all-star team. Does he? We'll find out Sunday.
Burrell Has Stars In His Eyes
Todd Zolecki
Pat Burrell said in spring training that he would love to make his first All-Star Game this year.
He just might.
He entered last night's 7-4 victory over the Braves at Turner Field ranked first amongst National League outfielders in home runs (20), on-base-plus-slugging percentage (.998) and slugging percentage (.584); second in on-base percentage (.414); seventh in RBIs (51); and 11th in runs (45). Compared to every player in the National League, he ranked fourth in OPS, fifth in OBP and sixth in SLG.
Those are all-star worthy numbers right there.
Burrell, who hit a solo homer against the Braves, just has to hope the right people are paying attention. He won't win the fan vote, so that means players, coaches and managers, who vote for the reserves, have to have noticed Burrell. He had a very strong April, so perhaps that planted a seed in enough people's heads to get him a spot. If not, Rockies manager Clint Hurdle could add him, or he could end up on the online ballot where fans choose each team's final player.
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Ryan Howard leads the National League with 71 RBIs. He is tied for fourth in the league with 21 homers.
But, oh, the average!
“That shows he’s contributing,” Charlie Manuel said of his homers and RBIs. “That shows he’s a run producer. Until we find somebody who can knock in 71, we might have to overlook (the batting average). I mean, who else has got 71?”
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Howard booted two balls in the ninth inning that could have been costly, except Brad Lidge worked out of a bases loaded jam with two outs. Still, it forced Lidge to throw 28 pitches, which means you have to wonder how that might affect his availability tonight or later this week.
"I just botched a couple balls," Howard said. "It happens. The first ball was hit pretty hard. I welcome anybody to go out there and try to stand in front of that one. And the second one I absolutely just completely zooed it. I just messed it up. It happens sometimes."
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Jim Salisbury offers a great behind-the-scenes look at the process that went into sending Brett Myers to triple-A Lehigh Valley, while Phil Sheridan got a chance to watch what he described as the strangest minor-league rehabilitation assignment in recent memory.
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In the Phillies Notebook, the Phillies are scouting for starting pitching. Erik Bedard anybody?
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Carlos Carrasco left last night's game with tightness in his right shoulder.
Truth says "Once again the focus is on Howard who once again dominates major staistical categories" Wait..so hitting for average isn't a major stastical catagory? As for RAS who says "Santana is 7-7 though 85 games for $20MM" He may only be 7-7 but he has a 3.01 ERA and only once this year has failed to get out of the 6th inning. I'll take that any day of the week.— Deb in Dixie- Name anyone else on this team that dominates (top five) in a minimum of two statisical categories Deb?— Truth
- JASON RINGLER.... Howard leads with RBI's because the 3 best hitters on our team consistantly get on base.— Norma
- I'll take this one Deb. Hey Truth.....how about Utley, top 5 in HR's, RBI's, slugging pct., runs. 19 hits behind league leader, 4 behind doubles leader. I wish you knew something about baseball.— jimmymack
- Truth: I also hope Ryan Kingman hits .260, 50 dingers and 160 rbi's. I also hope to hit the powerball, buy a new ZR1 Corvette and watch you get your own blog. Now that the fantasy portion of the show is over, we return you to your regular programming.— jimmymack
Who was the last 24 game winner? Sabathia or anyone else for that matter won't win 15% (24 wins) of his starts, since the advent of the five man rotation. They only get 32 starts now in a season. He'd have to go 24-8 with ZERO no decisions. Now way, not even with 3.01 ERA. Santana or any other pitcher for that matter is not worth $20MM. We Phillies fans won't have to worry about the Mets for awhile thanks to that contract. They are buried. Kevin Brown was the first pitcher to sign a $100MM contract with the Dodgers I believe in the early 90s. How many wins did they get out of him? They still haven't recoverd from it.— RAS- Who was the last 24 game winner? Sabathia or anyone else for that matter won't win 15% (24 wins) of his starts, since the advent of the five man rotation. They only get 32 starts now in a season. He'd have to go 24-8 with ZERO no decisions. Now way, not even with 3.01 ERA. Santana or any other pitcher for that matter is not worth $20MM. We Phillies fans won't have to worry about the Mets for awhile thanks to that contract. They are buried. Kevin Brown was the first pitcher to sign a $100MM contract with the Dodgers I believe in the early 90s. How many wins did they get out of him? They still haven't recoverd from it.— RAS
- Jimmymack you are correct in HR's and Rbi's for Utley. The other categories are not of MAJOR statistical relevance. Furthermore Utley will be outta the top 5 in rbi's and probably Hr's next wk. I'll remind you or your arrogance then.— Truth
- Hey jimmymack, I can't wait to see Truth remind your arrogance next week. Snicker. Oh, and Truth, who decides what a "major" catagory is, besides you?— Deb in Dixie
- To John in LA Mike Jacobs, Carlos Delgado, Dmitri Young, Chad Tracy & Connor Jackson any Pittsburgh 1st baseman just to name a few that worse than Howard challenged answered my friend. Now that being said Howard definitely needs to cut down on the K's in run producing situations and raise his average.— DaFranchise
- Hitting aside, Howard's two errors made for a lot of drama last night! Glad Lidge kept his cool and got out of the jam. I can see throwing errors by the rest of the infield, but all the first baseman has to do is catch the darn ball! Like I've said before, easiest defensive position on the team. And I think Howard now leads the team with most errors.— Norma
- Sorry, Dafranchise, but Delgado has played much longer (and has numbers to back it up), Young and Jacobs and Chad Tracy aren't everyday, and Jackson has better numbers. Nothing personal, but the adults are talking here. Stick to thinking up cool nicknames.— John in LA
- Here's some additional info on the first $100MM arm, Kevin Brown. He signed with Dodgers in 1998(my bad)for seven years at $105MM. He won 58 games in five years. Not bad at all, but worth $15MM a year 10 years ago?. I remember he got hurt after a couple of years with LA but he came back to pitch good again for them. Anyway, here's an article penned in 1998 decrying what a bonehead move it was before he ever threw his first pitch. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_51_222/ai_53487432 They never learn...— RAS
- Howard 83 games,.988 FPCT, 9 errors. Delgado, 77/.988/8; Pujols, 68/9.99/1; Jackson, 65/.994/3; Jacobs, 57/.986/6.— jimmymack
- jimmymack, I like those stats. I'd take Howard over Delgado anyday, they're about the same defensively with only one more error in six more games played, and Howard owns him offensively, even with that average.— modestSEAN
