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Phillies Coaching Staff Needs to Bear Responsibility for Offensive Slide

There's no doubting the Phillies have been beset with injuries. On the offensive side, Chase Utley is out, Placido Polanco is out. We get that. But at this point in time, but they aren't the only people on the team that can hit. Jimmy Rollins is back and there's Shane Victorino, Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez and Jayson Werth.

 A lineup of those players, even considering the losses of Utley and Polanco should be able to score runs. Perhaps not in droves as we've come to expect, but take a look at the career OPS+ of these players. No, they do not make up a Murderer's Row, but there is certainly at least collectively with the bottom portion of the lineup, enough firepower there to win a game that your pitching staff holds the opposition, the team you are trying to catch in the standings to 3 runs.

Several weeks ago when the offensive malaise began, I remember reading how Charlie Manuel and Milt Thompson were frustrated that the players were not taking into game situations what they had been instructed and coached to do prior to the games. At the time, I remember raising an eyebrow and wondering about the players. But now, weeks and weeks later, whether it is the players' faults or not, this coaching staff needs to step it up and figure out a way to get this team hitting again. This just isn't cutting it.

Charlie Manuel Gives Jimmy Rollins a Noogie

Starting to Get Kinda Nervous...

Baseball is a long season. A loooong season. It starts with few leaves on the trees and ends with few leaves on the trees. In between, there are a lot of ups and downs. For that reason, I've always been one to preach the words of a British World War II-era poster, "keep calm and carry on", but I have to admit, when Roy Halladay gets shelled, I'm starting to waiver...

 On the bright side, there should be, in theory, help on the way. J.A. Happ should be ready sooner rather than later, mercifully pushing Kyle Kendrick out of the rotation, Jimmy Rollins is about to begin a rehab assignment and will add some direly needed spark, and further down the road, Ryan Madson will return as well, bolstering the overworked bullpen.

So while the cupboard is a bit bare for a trade, help is in fact on the way. And make no mistake, Jimmy needs to make a difference. The two-run single that Juan Castro let go under his glove last night would have been easily fielded for an out by Jimmy Rollins, and the look on Charlie Manuel's face in the dugout told you that. Prior to that, the Phillies were in striking distance and a comeback wasn't out of the realm of possibility. But after Castro failed to extend enough to field the grounder, the final nail was sunk into the coffin.

The worry though is that Rollins, Madson and Happ will not provide enough of a difference. The Phillies aren't losing by 1 or 2 or even 3 runs every night. They're getting pummeled. Perhaps we need more than a spark out of them, perhaps we need a flamethrower.

Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino Win Gold Gloves, Chase Utley Shafted Again

Photo from fOTOGLIF

Every year, there are winners of Gold Glove awards who are frankly, undeserving [see "Abreu, Bobby"], and so the award has lost some of its luster. However, all of those mistakes shouldn't take away from the fact that if you win a Gold Glove, it's because the powers-that-be [in this case, coaches and managers] felt you were the best at what you do. And who among us wouldn't want that?

For Rollins, it is his third Gold Glove in a row and the second in a row for Victorino.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

You have to wonder when Chase Utley will win a Gold Glove, if ever.  Statistically speaking, the objective play-by-play data like Ultimate Zone Rating and the Plus/Minus system love Utley's play at second base, but for some reason, the voters don't see it that way.

If you are a Phillies fan, you certainy do see it that way.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

This One's for the Goodfellas Phans

Henry Hill celebrates Jimmy's walk-off hit in Game 4:

Breaking Down Jimmy Rollins

One minute he's doing stuff like this:

And the next, he's ripping an NLCS Game 4-winning gapper.  Check out how big his eyes are and the look of concentration and the ball sears between the centerfielder and rightfielder.

Jimmy's Hit: Franzke Makes the Call, L.A. Celebrates

[Thanks to Dan McQuade for sending over the video!]

These Guys Are Unreal [And, They're a Win Away from the World F. Series]

Still pinch-hitting over at The 700 Level, I half-heartedly began to write up a post-game story before the final out.  Here's the gist of it [link]:

As exhilarating as Sunday night's 11-0 win over the Dodgers was, there had to be at least a part of you bracing for a loss this evening.  Don't beat yourself up, it's not Philly pessimism, it's just the nature of baseball in general and our Phillies in particular.

It's not as if the game was a clunker for the Phillies, but

JIMMY! 

RUN CHOOCH!  RUN!

This group of Phillies players...  They just don't quit, ever.  Sure, without Jonathan Broxton hitting Carlos Ruiz in the 9th, Jimmy's gapper only ties the game, but there are a ton of teams that can't take advantage of a situation like that, don't even get the gapper.

Only one out left...

...These guys are unreal.  I'd love to know what Harry and Whitey are talking about right now.

Jimmy Had a Pretty Good Quote Too

Sure, "Get me to the plate boys" will go down in Philadelphia sports history as something we tell our grandkids about.  But after the game, as the champagne popped and the cigars sparked, Jimmy Rollins said something pretty memorable too:

“We have belief, and belief goes further than momentum.”

What a Whirlwind

Shane knocks one out... Clifton Phifer Lee paints the corners... Werth puts on his hulk hands and makes it 2-0... Raul pulls a mini-Holliday... Pete Happy swings at the first pitch [first pitch!?!?!]... Lee comes out for the 8th and gets into trouble, Madson and Ben Francisco in, Lee and Ibanez out... Fly to leeeft, BENNY BABY!!! Charlie's a genius until... Rockies knock around Madson, we're down two runs with only three outs left... Dobbs K's, Jimmy singles... Shane almost hits into a DP... Uts walks... The Big Piece doubles!... Shane almost misses third on the way home, Chase is chasing him, they both score and we're tied at 4!... Werth singles and The Big Piece rumbles home! 5-4 Fightin' Phillies!... Eyre and his loose bodies and sprained ankle come out for the bottom of the 9th... Two outs and two singles later, Charlie calls on Lidge to face Tulo... the Delaware Valley holds their breath... Struck him out!

Interesting Question

From Daily News beat writer David Murphy's Twitter feed:

Just took a quick press box poll. ESPN's Stark, Crasnick and myself all agree that Chase Utley might be the best baserunner in the game.

My reply:

He's good, but I think Utley's DP partner may be better. Rollins might not be as opportunistic, but he turns the bases great.

It's hard to explain in Twitter's 140 characters, but while Utley is a great baserunner -- who else would score from second on a high-chopper that never leaves the infield? -- I think Jimmy Rollins is better based on his technique and overall speed.

Next time you get a chance, watch how absolutely perfectly Jimmy turns around first base on his way to second.  He never appears to adjust his stride in order to hit the base and he never seems to slow down either.  I've never seen anyone do it better and I have to say, a Jimmy Rollins triple is more fun for me than sinking a double-breaking 50-footer for bird.

What do you think? Is Chase Utley the best baserunner in baseball? Is Rollins better?  If Rollins is better, is he the best in baseball?

He's Ba-aaaaack

Don't ask where he went, don't ask why he came back, just be glad Cole Hamels... is back.

He's rattled off 19 consecutive scoreless innings and in his last two starts has 17 innings pitched, one complete game, 16 strikeouts, only 3 walks and only 9 hits allowed.  It's been a thing of beauty to watch.  Carlos Ruiz sets up on the outside corner and a split second later, the ball that was once in King Cole's fingers is dancing right into Chooch's mitt.

Don't look know, but things are really coming together for defending World Champions.  More thoughts below.

This Probably Isn’t What Tom McCarthy has in Mind When He Promotes a Phillies Fantasy Camp with Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard

If you've watched a Phillies game recently, you've seen promos for the Phillies Fantasy Camp, where couch potatoes like you and me can go and play baseball with the Phillies in Clearwater [for a sum of money, of course]. Below is a video of one such fantasy camp.

After the jump, a behind-the-scenes/filming-of type video where Jimmy Rollins explains how to get shaving cream-pie out of someone's eyes without it burning.

Monday Mullings

Long weekend for many of us.  Fun of course, but long.  In order to help all of us get back into the swing of things, we'll keep these thoughts short and simple.  This will be a diatribe-free zone today...

...Friday July 2nd might have been the turning point for Jimmy Rollins.  He's 7-15 in his last four games with 3 doubles and a home run that set the tone for Sunday's win over the Mets.

...As goes Jimmy, so go the Phillies, 3-1 since his [hopefully permanent] turnaround.

...Brad Lidge sure looks good too.

...Could not be more disappointed in "The Pen" on the MLB Network.  Very little is revealed about the Phillies relief corps that you wouldn't already know from reading the sports headlines every day.  It's a shame too, because by all accounts there are some real characters out there.

...Tiger Woods won his own PGA Tour event over the weekend at Congressional Country Club outside of Washington, DC.  In 2010 and 2011, the event will move to Aronimink Country Club in Newtown Square.

...Koho paloka for Shane Victorino.

On J-Ro’ and Rodrigo

Yesterday, the Phillies announced that Rodrigo Lopez would – at least for the time being – replace Antonio Bastardo in the Phillies rotation.  The thinking is that Lopez has major league experience, while the other candidates, Carlos Carrasco and Andrew Carpenter, had very little to speak of.

As soon as the Phillies made it known that the new starter would get more than just a spot-start opportunity, I predicted Lopez would get the job.  The knock on Carrasco – fair or unfair – is his level of maturity or toughness, and Carpenter’s work ethic – again, fair or unfair – has been questioned.  If those are more than rumors, then it is certainly understandable why the Phillies went with Lopez.

Plus, it’s not as if Lopez has been pitching poorly.  In June, over 5 starts and 31 innings pitched, Lopez has struck out 22 and walked only 5, resulting in an ERA of 2.03.

Rodrigo Lopez isn’t going to win the Phillies another World Series, but as long as he is serviceable, he won’t prevent them from doing so either.

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Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy.  Jimmy.

Speaking of players who can cause a team to win or lose, there may be no player on the Phillies other than the day’s starting pitcher that means more to the team than Jimmy Rollins.  We’ve all seen the stats, when Jimmy Rollins scores a run, the Phillies are 456-1.  When he doesn’t score a run, things obviously don’t go that well, and for Rollins and the Phillies, this is more the norm than the exception this season.

On June 18th, Jimmy went 3 for 4.  Since then, he’s been 0-fer.  Ooohh for 27 to be exact.  This is more than just a slump at this point, it’s well into his head and other than the All-Star break, a scheduled vacation from the game, not a manager-driven 4-day “break” with all-eyes-and-cameras-on-Jimmy, I don’t see what’s going to get him out of it.

According to Fangraphs.com, if you quantify Jimmy’s batting record into cumulative runs, he’s performing at a level 21 runs below that of a replacement-level or AAAA-type player, if you will.

For the Phillies to put together any kind of successful campaign, that has to change.

I don’t envy Charlie Manuel one bit.

When is a Slump More than a Slump?

Over the course of his last 162 games, dating back to June 11th, 2008, Jimmy Rollins is batting .249 with an on-base average of .315 and slugging percentage of .387.

That’s a full season and more than a calendar year of below-average performance.  Should we be worried about Jimmy?

You Make Your Own Luck and Pop-ups Make You Out

There’s a growing perception that Jimmy Rollins poor season to this point is due in large part to bad luck.  One example comes from a piece by Todd Zolecki on Phillies.com:

[Rollins] enters Tuesday's Interleague series opener against the Blue Jays at Citizens Bank Park hitting just .217 with 13 doubles, one triple, five home runs, 25 RBIs, a .254 on-base percentage and a .330 slugging percentage.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel and teammates see a player with some rotten luck. Line drives hit right at people. Fly balls outfielders snare at the last moment. Rockets hit on the ground that infielders stop.

"If there were a stat for hard-hit outs, I would bet he leads the team," catcher Chris Coste said.

Baseball Prospectus has a statistic called BABIP, which is batting average on balls in play. It includes plate appearances that don't result in a walk, strikeout or home run. Rollins' BABIP this season is .225. His career mark is .295. The NL average this season is .296. That suggests Rollins has run into some bad luck.

Not to pick on Zolecki or Coste, because in every electronic encounter I’ve ever had with either of them, they seem like fine guys, but there’s a reason Rollins batting average on balls in play is only .225.  It’s not luck:  Jimmy just isn’t hitting the ball hard.

Apologies for stating the obvious, but it should go without saying that weakly hit balls tend to become outs while well-struck balls are more likely to end up as base-hits.  So far this season, Rollins’ line drive rate* is 17.1%, the lowest of any season in a career that averages 21.6% line drives on batted balls.  Not only is his line drive rate down, but his infield fly rate is up to 14.4%, a career high (10.3% career average).

Don’t get me wrong, I’m pulling for Jimmy as much as possible.  In my opinion, there is nothing more fun at a baseball game than watching him flawlessly run around the bases, his smile is infectious and I firmly believe that his attitude has helped to change the Phillies organization into a winner.

But having said that, I don’t see how his sub-par season is the product of bad luck.  There’s a saying, you make your own luck, in which case, Jimmy needs to make more line drives.

* Courtesty of fangraphs.com