Finishing Half on a High Note
The Phillies beat the Diamondbacks yesterday, 6-3, to remain in first place at the all-star break.
Finishing Half on a High Note
Todd Zolecki
Pat Burrell didn't try to send a message with his three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning yesterday in a 6-3 victory over the Diamondbacks.
It sure would be more fun if he did.
Burrell has the numbers to be at the All-Star Game tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium. Most people know by now that on-base-plus-slugging percentage is a great indicator of a player's overall production. Burrell's OPS is .975, which ranks second amongst NL outfielders. Here are the NL all-star outfielders and where they rank compared to the 33 NL outfielders that qualify for the statistic:
1. Matt Holliday (.981)
3. Ryan Ludwick (.955)
6. Nate McLouth (.907)
10. Ryan Braun (.882)
12. Corey Hart (.831)
18. Kosuke Fukudome (.793)
Alfonso Soriano (.879) doesn't have enough at-bats to qualify, but would rank 11th in the league if he did. It's quite clear that Fukudome, who fans voted in, shouldn't even be sniffing the All-Star Game. But Cubs fans are more zealous than Phillies fans, so Fukudome goes and Burrell goes home.
*
Phil Sheridan tells us that while the offense is good enough and the bullpen is good enough, it's quite clear the Phillies must add another starter to remain in first place and return to the postseason.
*
In the Phillies Notebook, the Phillies are in first place at the break for the 10th time in franchise history. Here are those years, and where they ultimately finished:
1950: First (Yankees swept them in World Series, 4-0)
1964: Second (suffered worst collapse in baseball history)
1974: Third
1976: First (Reds swept them in NLCS, 3-0)
1978: First (Dodgers beat them in NLCS, 3-1)
1982: Second
1993: First (Blue Jays beat them in World Series, 4-2)
2001: Second
2004: Second (Larry Bowa fired after season)
2008: ??????
*
It's all-star week ... in New York.
Let the madness begin.
You Filly fans do have a beef as far as Fucudome (who?)going to the AS Game over Burrell. Burrell should have made the team despite his awful defense. He's having a career year, and has hit well in the clutch. Howard just didn't match up in the first base rich NL. You can't argue that Berkman, Gonzalez, and Pujols (and Lee, who's also not on the team) are better all around players. Howard is one dimensional, HR's. No average, too many SO's and poor defense. Met fans have a right to complain too...Tejeda on the team instead of Reyes? That's ridiculous. No shortstop in the history of modern baseball (from 1900) has the stats that Reyes has at All Star break and was not chosen for the AS Team. It was mentioned on ESPN last night. And he can win a game for you in so many ways. Like to see NL win one for a change. But what was Hurdle thinking when he picked only one lefty for the bullpen? The AL has three. Bullpen matchups are so important in today's game. That could be a problem later in the game.— The Wizard- I'll take 1st place anyway we can get it. Hope the offense continues its winning ways after the break and solves the starting rotation dilemna.— KarenA
Burrell continues to get a bad rap for what is called his "awful defense." His one defensive flaw is that he's not fast, so he therfore has limited range. But he's not a poor outfielder. He has a good arm and a good glove. Errors this year: 0.— bobby- Great post by Bobby. Even though he got traded to the Bronx last yeat, he still keeps in touch and he knows the real Burrell stuff— mick314
- I agree Bobby, The Bull wasn't fast, either, but if he could get to it he was a great fielder. The two are so similar in so many ways. They used to take the Bull out in late innings as well and put in Greg Gross (remember him?)— jeff gross
- All this chatter ans indignation about Burrell not making it...Zo nailed it "But Cubs fans are more zealous than Phillies fans, so Fukudome goes and Burrell goes home". He's not on the team because the a vast majority Philly "fans" came up small in not voting, plain and simple. I suspect a number of people who comment here voted, but where was everyone else?— jimmymack
- The bull and Burrell have so many similarities--lol.— Truth
- JIMMYMACK everyone else remembers the previous 5 yrs of his contract and refuse to reward a guy that decides to pay attn and play hard during a contract yr-PERIOD— Truth
- Truth, again - 27hr/92RBI over the last five years. For 8.3 a year. Grow up.— John in LA
- Wiz, ever think the fact that Reyes is a total punk - and all of MLB knows it - hurt his chances of making the team? How many tantrums this year so far? Last year? The year before? How many benchings? Such a pity, so much talent...— John in LA
- J in LA are you realisitically saying that Burrell didn't shrink in pressure packed situations prior to this yr? You don't remember all the yrs he struck out looking with men on base and the gm on the line? Are you serious? You love Burrell but bash Howard? You, my friend, are a joke--— Truth
- Truth: I guess that would also explain why your hero wasn't rewarded by the fans and came up so short on votes. Isn't he also in a "contract" year?— jimmymack
- "Struck out looking with men on base and the game on the line"...you're right, when Pat was setting all those records for strikouts...oh, never mind.— jimmymack
- Look, they'll both be somewhere else this time next year, so it's all moot anyway...— John in LA
- JIMMYMACK I understand your point but you must add a qualifier-- All those strike outs plus a MVP award. All those strikeouts plus leading the league in Rbi's. All those strikouts plus the least amount of MLB gm to hit 100 HR's. All those strikeouts plus a 58 HR season...etc-- Tell the whole story JIMMYMACK. How do those stats make Burrells look?— Truth
