Acclimatizing to a new city and job has given me a severe case of sensory overload. Therefore, I am unable to write a cohesive post and today's post at Balls, Sticks, & Stuff is reduced to a collection of thoughts and blurbs.
On last night's 8-5 win by the Phillies over the Rangers...
...The Phils did a good job of holding the Rangers to just five runs. A couple more hits or walks allowed here and there could have easily become big innings for the Rangers, besides just the fourth inning.
...Maybe it is because the media is focusing in on it so much, but I am really beginning to get concerned about the Phillies bullpen. Billy Wagner and Ryan Madson appear in nearly every game. Something in the bullpen has to change or these two will be burn out like fairways at a local muni in late-July.
...Interesting managerial move by Buck Showalter to pinch-hit for the pitcher with a gimpy Alfonso Soriano, then pinch-run for him with a relief pitcher (Ron Mahay) that was once an outfielder (no, not in this game, earlier in his career).
...Interesting managerial move by Charlie Manuel to let [insert Mr. Charlie Incredible's Shenandoah Valley drawl here] Ree-Al Core-me-air bat in the bottom of the seventh with two outs and the bases loaded in order to preserve for several favorable matchups in the next inning. I suppose it was the right thing to do, but if you use a pinch-hitter and he manages to drive in even two of the baserunners, it's a 10-4 ballgame (at that point) and you can bring in nearly any warm body (this means you Geary) to pitch in the eighth.
...I thought I was having a hard time cognitively, but Michael Young (while in the field, no harm done) and Mike Lieberthal (baserunning, cost the Phils an out) both lost track of the number of outs in this game.
On drafting Mike Costanzo in the second round...
...Pretty good move in my mind, on several levels. One, he is a college third-baseman -- an area in which the Phillies organization is extremely thin -- with a big bat (Big South Conference Player of the Year two years in a row, 1.200+ OPS in 2004) and so hopefully he will develop quickly. And secondly, he is a Philly-area native and grew up rooting for the Phillies and idolized Mike Schmidt, which means the organization scored a few P.R. points, something of which they are always in need. And, already it seems like he knows what the Phillies Phaithful want to hear:
"I can't wait to play for the Phillies...Hopefully I'll be signed by tomorrow. I'm not pulling a J.D. Drew. I'm not doing that to this team or this city." [Inqy, Salisbury]
