GaryMrMets
08-01-2004, 07:54 PM
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/9286699.htm
Posted on Sat, Jul. 31, 2004
On Baseball | Phillies' odds get a little longer
The Marlins and the Mets both made trades yesterday that improved their chances for an NL East title.
By Jim Salisbury
Inquirer Columnist
CHICAGO - As if the Phillies haven't had enough problems within the National League East this season, the prospects of winning the division got a lot tougher yesterday.
Two of the Phils' main rivals, the Florida Marlins and New York Mets, made significant deals on the eve of the non-waiver trade deadline.
The Phillies didn't make nearly as big a splash as their division brethren, but they tried to keep pace by adding two veteran relievers - Felix Rodriguez from San Francisco and Todd Jones from Cincinnati.
The bullpen additions came after Rheal Cormier and Roberto Hernandez suffered a meltdown at Wrigley Field yesterday afternoon, as the Phils lost their fifth straight game. The team picked by many to win the NL East sits just a game above .500 on the last day of July.
Astonishing.
Rodriguez and Jones are solid, experienced, major-league arms, but the Phils are in such a slide that you have to wonder if they can recover. They are going in the wrong direction, while the Marlins and the Mets are getting better and the Atlanta Braves are smelling another division title.
General manager Ed Wade will keep working the phones today. He knows that fans and media - and the men in his own clubhouse - have been watching to see if his moves can spark a fading team.
"I can't control people's reactions any more than I can control the deals other teams make," he said. "We're being aggressive."
Wade might still have another deal cooking, and with Ricky Ledee gone for Rodriguez, he might need a centerfielder. Top Phillies scouts Gordon Lakey and Charlie Manuel were peeking in on the Oakland Athletics and the Texas Rangers last night. The Phils could still be looking to deal Placido Polanco.
The up-for-grabs NL East was the hot spot in the trade universe yesterday.
Resuscitated by their four-game sweep of the Phillies, the Marlins picked up valuable catcher Paul Lo Duca, setup man Guillermo Mota, and outfielder Juan Encarnacion from the Dodgers for pitcher Brad Penny, first baseman Hee Seop Choi, and minor-league pitching prospect Bill Murphy, pending approval by Major League Baseball.
The Dodgers could take some of their haul and spin it to Arizona for Randy Johnson. Would that be just grand for the Phillies - facing the Big Unit next week in Los Angeles?
The Mets, undeterred by a seven-game deficit in the division, showed that they want to be players in the final two months by acquiring pitchers Kris Benson from Pittsburgh and Victor Zambrano from Tampa Bay. "Those are two huge deals, with good players going to both teams," Wade said. "They had the pieces to do it."
The Mets gave up their top pitching prospect, Scott Kazmir, for Zambrano. Different strokes for different folks. Different philosophies for different teams. The Phils have two minor-league pitching gems in Gavin Floyd and Cole Hamels, but both are untouchable. So are second baseman Chase Utley and pitcher Ryan Madson.
Some will squawk that the Phillies should give up minor-league blue-chippers for help-now major-leaguers. Right or wrong, the Phils aren't budging.
"Teams have to view their own situation and make determinations of what role prospects play in it," Wade said. "We've talked to so many clubs that, at this point, they all know we're not going to move our brightest guys."
Wade acknowledged that the deals made by the Mets and the Marlins make winning the division "a more difficult challenge." Did they ever. The Phils are 21-30 against the NL East. Nine of the wins have come against lowly Montreal. They are a combined 12-26 against the Braves, the Mets and the Marlins.
Wade knew he had to improve his sagging team even before making his two deals last night. Did the deals made by the Mets and the Marlins increase his urgency?
"No," he said. "We've been traveling with a sense of urgency throughout this entire process. You have to act in a way that is best for your club. You have to look at making your club better. That's not to say we're ignoring what other clubs are doing, but we have to stay focused and do the things that make us better."
And the Phillies need to get better. Marlon Byrd is back with the club, but is he really the answer in center field? Kenny Lofton's sneer is starting to look more and more necessary to a team that seems to be accepting losing.
The Phils need more than just trades. Jim Thome carried them for the final two months last season. He is homerless in his last 10 games and continues to struggle with runners in scoring position. He needs to get hot. Kevin Millwood needs go on a salary drive.
Bobby Abreu, who stood up during Thursday's team meeting and told his teammates to cut the you-know-what and concentrate on winning, backed up his words with two homers yesterday. Pat Burrell also hit a pair.
Maybe seven runs and 11 hits in their 10-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs were signs that the Phils were warming. Maybe they'll get out of their funk today. Or maybe it won't matter, because on the eve of the trade deadline, the division got a lot tougher for a team that had made life awfully tough on itself already.
Posted on Sat, Jul. 31, 2004
On Baseball | Phillies' odds get a little longer
The Marlins and the Mets both made trades yesterday that improved their chances for an NL East title.
By Jim Salisbury
Inquirer Columnist
CHICAGO - As if the Phillies haven't had enough problems within the National League East this season, the prospects of winning the division got a lot tougher yesterday.
Two of the Phils' main rivals, the Florida Marlins and New York Mets, made significant deals on the eve of the non-waiver trade deadline.
The Phillies didn't make nearly as big a splash as their division brethren, but they tried to keep pace by adding two veteran relievers - Felix Rodriguez from San Francisco and Todd Jones from Cincinnati.
The bullpen additions came after Rheal Cormier and Roberto Hernandez suffered a meltdown at Wrigley Field yesterday afternoon, as the Phils lost their fifth straight game. The team picked by many to win the NL East sits just a game above .500 on the last day of July.
Astonishing.
Rodriguez and Jones are solid, experienced, major-league arms, but the Phils are in such a slide that you have to wonder if they can recover. They are going in the wrong direction, while the Marlins and the Mets are getting better and the Atlanta Braves are smelling another division title.
General manager Ed Wade will keep working the phones today. He knows that fans and media - and the men in his own clubhouse - have been watching to see if his moves can spark a fading team.
"I can't control people's reactions any more than I can control the deals other teams make," he said. "We're being aggressive."
Wade might still have another deal cooking, and with Ricky Ledee gone for Rodriguez, he might need a centerfielder. Top Phillies scouts Gordon Lakey and Charlie Manuel were peeking in on the Oakland Athletics and the Texas Rangers last night. The Phils could still be looking to deal Placido Polanco.
The up-for-grabs NL East was the hot spot in the trade universe yesterday.
Resuscitated by their four-game sweep of the Phillies, the Marlins picked up valuable catcher Paul Lo Duca, setup man Guillermo Mota, and outfielder Juan Encarnacion from the Dodgers for pitcher Brad Penny, first baseman Hee Seop Choi, and minor-league pitching prospect Bill Murphy, pending approval by Major League Baseball.
The Dodgers could take some of their haul and spin it to Arizona for Randy Johnson. Would that be just grand for the Phillies - facing the Big Unit next week in Los Angeles?
The Mets, undeterred by a seven-game deficit in the division, showed that they want to be players in the final two months by acquiring pitchers Kris Benson from Pittsburgh and Victor Zambrano from Tampa Bay. "Those are two huge deals, with good players going to both teams," Wade said. "They had the pieces to do it."
The Mets gave up their top pitching prospect, Scott Kazmir, for Zambrano. Different strokes for different folks. Different philosophies for different teams. The Phils have two minor-league pitching gems in Gavin Floyd and Cole Hamels, but both are untouchable. So are second baseman Chase Utley and pitcher Ryan Madson.
Some will squawk that the Phillies should give up minor-league blue-chippers for help-now major-leaguers. Right or wrong, the Phils aren't budging.
"Teams have to view their own situation and make determinations of what role prospects play in it," Wade said. "We've talked to so many clubs that, at this point, they all know we're not going to move our brightest guys."
Wade acknowledged that the deals made by the Mets and the Marlins make winning the division "a more difficult challenge." Did they ever. The Phils are 21-30 against the NL East. Nine of the wins have come against lowly Montreal. They are a combined 12-26 against the Braves, the Mets and the Marlins.
Wade knew he had to improve his sagging team even before making his two deals last night. Did the deals made by the Mets and the Marlins increase his urgency?
"No," he said. "We've been traveling with a sense of urgency throughout this entire process. You have to act in a way that is best for your club. You have to look at making your club better. That's not to say we're ignoring what other clubs are doing, but we have to stay focused and do the things that make us better."
And the Phillies need to get better. Marlon Byrd is back with the club, but is he really the answer in center field? Kenny Lofton's sneer is starting to look more and more necessary to a team that seems to be accepting losing.
The Phils need more than just trades. Jim Thome carried them for the final two months last season. He is homerless in his last 10 games and continues to struggle with runners in scoring position. He needs to get hot. Kevin Millwood needs go on a salary drive.
Bobby Abreu, who stood up during Thursday's team meeting and told his teammates to cut the you-know-what and concentrate on winning, backed up his words with two homers yesterday. Pat Burrell also hit a pair.
Maybe seven runs and 11 hits in their 10-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs were signs that the Phils were warming. Maybe they'll get out of their funk today. Or maybe it won't matter, because on the eve of the trade deadline, the division got a lot tougher for a team that had made life awfully tough on itself already.