Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

The Phillies Zone

Scutaro, DeRosa would fit Phils needs

Update: In thinking about Charlie Manuel's comments, detailed below about the need for a strong utiltity infielder, two names occured to me: Mark DeRosa and Marco Scutaro. Both are free agents, and both are the type of veteran that Manuel would be likely to trust. DeRosa could also spell Raul Ibanez in left field. The Phils will be operating with payroll constrains, and neither of these guys figures to be very expensive.

32 comments

Scutaro, DeRosa would fit Phils needs

POSTED: Thursday, October 8, 2009, 12:14 PM

Andy Martino

Just sayin.

***

Good morning, and welcome to episode two of TBS’ new reality series “The NLDS.” Some lineup changes in a very big game for the Rockies, who’d be pretty dead looking if the went down down two games to none.

Carlos Gonzalez is leading off, with Dexter Fowler batting second. Ryan Spilborghs is batting seventh and playing right field. Spilborghs is 2 for 3 with two doubles lifetime against Cole Hamels.

***

An interesting moment in Charlie Manuel’s pregame presser came when he was asked about Chase Utley. Utley was obviously tired in September, as he is every season. Manuel said that the way to avoid that was to acquire an better backup infielder. Um, sorry Eric Bruntlett, but that doesn’t sound good for you.

Here’s the quote from Bill Faulkner:

“I would like to have somebody who can—somebody that can give Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley a spell, and it would probably be real hard to find, because I expect him to be close to—we don’t want to lose nothing by playing a guy, if that makes sense. I want something similar to who they are and someone that can probably contribute something similar to that. Though that would be hard to find, because that’s a tough job.”

Are you listening, Ruben?

***

Manuel is being cagey about his rotation. He said yesterday that Pedro Martinez would be available in the bullpen today, and now he says Pedro probably won’t pitch today. My guess is, if Happ and Blanton do not pitch today, they will start Games 3 and 4, who knows in what order. Manuel is playing this very close to the vest.

“He does his side work, and he throws in the bullpen,” Manuel said of Pedro. “He’s ready. He knows what he’s doing…I’d say he is capable of going out there and throwing definitely 90 to 100 pitches.”

Okay, will Blanton and Happ be able to stay ready for a start, given the changed routine?

“They are going to be ready. They’ll know. They’ll be ready.”

All righty.

32 comments

Comments (32)

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:32 PM, 10/08/2009

Leaving Bruntlett off the NLDS roster was message enough. Too bad the Phils couldn't have gotten Scutaro from the now-Ricciardiless Blue Jays; he would have been a great bench player.

— paolibulldog

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:41 PM, 10/08/2009

Sounds like Charlie wants a "Ben Francisco" for the infield!

— JBP

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:44 PM, 10/08/2009

You have to hand it to Charlie: if he has us stumped, how do you think the Rockies feel? At least we have the benefit of several years experience trying to figure him and his words out...I say great strategy!

— Timmy

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:50 PM, 10/08/2009

Marco was injured at the end of the year, he played through it, but, who knows if he'd be 100% . I would rather have him at 80% than Bruntlett or Cairo at 100.

— phairmount

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:52 PM, 10/08/2009

Geez, you guys need to get over this thing about the 3rd and 4th starters being available out of the pen early in the series. Playoff teams do this all the time. You're all acting like this is something that's never been done before. These guys throw on the side and in the pen between starts anyway. There's no harm in keeping them available in the pen for an inning if needed.

— JimG

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:58 PM, 10/08/2009

Adios, Buntlett.

— psuflyers

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:05 PM, 10/08/2009

In Charlie We Trust!

— bcmojo

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:11 PM, 10/08/2009

bardle do?

— I. M. McLovin

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:17 PM, 10/08/2009

I dont think Scutaro will sign to be a backup. Cairo may be the answer if he can play short. I didn't check it out but it was said he had a 267 career avg. and was always thought to be a smart player.

— Don w

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:20 PM, 10/08/2009

Do we have any infielders in the minors capable of coming up for some shots next season?

— verve

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:24 PM, 10/08/2009

Looking ahead to next year I think the Phils should go get Mark Teahen from the Royals. He's a solid LH bat who can come off the bench and on any given day he could give Howard, Utley, Feliz, Ibanez or Werth a breather. How's that for versatility?

— T-Money

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:28 PM, 10/08/2009

Too bad DeRosa wanted to start, how good would he look?

— johnnydomino

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:28 PM, 10/08/2009

Pete Orr, Alexi Casilla guys like that can play both middle infield spots and can swing a bat.

— rbecker1963

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:31 PM, 10/08/2009

[verve Do we have any infielders in the minors capable of coming up..] We had Jason Donald, but he was included in the bag of beans we gave Cleveland for Cliff Lee - in what turned out to be a SWEET MOVE by Ruben!

— jman