Tuesday, December 7, 2010

SOMEBODY WAKE RUBEN UP!

Last night I was watching the MLB network when none other than our man - Ruben Amaro was interviewed by the clones of the guys who were doing the interviews during the previous hour. Ruben spoke like the true politician he is and basically said nothing during his 5 minutes in front of the camera. He did, when asked about Jayson Werth, say that the Phillies had made Werth an offer, but nowhere near the numbers he got from Washington.

Before I roast Amaro I must say that he and his bosses would have been crazy to pay Werth the kind of money he is going to get from the Nats. Hey look, Werth is a nice player who has basically only played three seasons because of his various injuries; has hit over .300 once; and has only exceeded 30 HR's once; and has been named to one All-Star team once and that was because Charlie Manuel picked him. He is not worth Ryan Howard kind of numbers, even though he got it.

I wish him well in the District. I hope he hits about .234 with 14 HR's and drives in zero runs from the beginning of July through the end of August when the team will be buried in last place.

As for Amaro and his bosses., the one thing Amaro did say was that the Phillies fan base has the expectation that the club will make a big free agent or trade move every year. Ruben quashed that one pretty quick by flat out stating that it wasn't going to happen. It isn't in the cards.

Despite all of the money the team has spent, and is committed to spending over the next few years I feel that we fans have the right to expect them to try and keep the team on top - by any means possible. I don't believe that the proposed two-headed right field combo of Francisco/Gload will allow the team to compete for the title and it appears that Domonic Brown is not quite ready for prime time. Amaro said that his focus would be the bullpen - well I haven't read where Durbin has been re-signed, now did I? Durbin's re-signing would be a good start. They need a left-handed reliever desperately - so maybe Ruben ought to make the necessary moves.

The Phillies certainly do not have the resources of the Yankees, Red Sox, or even the Mets, but this is not a team that can honestly cry poverty as they are making money hand over fist. The faithful have crammed the stadium to overflowing for over a season during a time when ticket prices are starting to become unaffordable for many fans. They charge $4.00 for a bottle of water that can be had at any convenience store for 50¢, and could retire the national debt of Peru with what they charge for a 7,000 calorie sandwich which should be served hot - but isn't.

There is another matter I must remind you of. This is the same team that told us before they got their new stadium that they would not go after free agents until and unless we the people gave them a new stadium. They cried poor while they were blackmailing us. Well guess what - if you live and pay taxes in the Commonwealth you are currently and will for most of your lifetimes be paying off the bond issues floated to give the Phillies their new playground.

Fairness requires me to acknowledge that they did put some money up to sign and keep players, but it isn't our fault that Ibanez turned out to be a stiff, or that Rollins and Utley would begin a slide towards mediocrity. I certainly didn't agree to give Blanton the money he is making, but now I feel that we are being asked to suffer the consequences by having to watch what I believe will be a team that has seen its last playoff for quite a long time.

As long as they are playing in front of sell out crowds in a stadium they didn't have to pay for, the least they can do is continue to put the best product on the field - and they are not going to do it - and that pisses me off. Sure, we have a very good 1-2-3 starting rotation (Did you hear that Hamels?), but the rest of the staff is suspect at best and that includes Lidge.

If I'm right that the team, despite its pitching at the top is on the downslope then they need to make some moves like getting rid of Rollins and Utley so they can bring in some younger players who can produce. Hell, I'd even get rid of Hamels if it meant I could bring Lee back. No, I am not high, and I know that none of this is going to happen, but at least it's a plan that could keep the club competitive for years to come.

What set me off today was a rumor that the Nats were not finished shopping. It is said that they are going to make an attempt to sign Cliff Lee - that the Lerner brothers are prepared to go all in to bring a winner to Washington. Can you imagine how pissed we would all be if that happened, and how much better the Nats would be in 2012 when Strasberg comes back.

Ruben, it is time for your smug Mr. Cool act to end and for you to do something to justify the latest hike in ticket prices - and by that I don't mean signing Jeff Francouer. Give Carl Crawford a call, I hear he's available.

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