The Bandanna

Great Baseball Names

2010-03-12T14:34:00.002-05:00

Today's great baseball name: Dutch Leonard.

Pure Speculation: Ryan Madson

2010-03-09T14:38:00.000-05:00

Without regard for statistical analysis, The Bandanna will predict the performances of each Phillies player for the entire season. Based entirely on guesswork, and intuition, here are my thoughts on upcoming season for:

Ryan Madson DOB: Aug 28 1980 T: Right B: Left H: 6'6" W: 200

Madson has evolved into one of the better relievers in the league. I love his stuff, and wish I called pitches for him. While I started the Bandanna behind the idea that Kyle Drabek should be the Phillies closer of the future, I am content now to have MadDog close out some games if Lidge poos the bed again.

I will guarantee off the bat he gets 5 wins and 10 saves this year...lock of the year...I would say more saves, but I think he will go down with some sort of shoulder strain for a week or two this season, opening up some fantasy value for Danys Baez...Madson's ERA is also going to be strong, as it has been for the previous 3 years, I feel 3.20 will be reasonable...he's a September arm, with power stuff, so I hope my first two predicts are correct, and I hope this last one isn't...65 appearences seems rights, considering he has approached 80 the last two years.

Great Baseball Names

2010-03-09T14:30:00.000-05:00

Today's great baseball name: Amos Rusie.

Great Baseball Names

2010-03-08T15:02:00.001-05:00

Today's great baseball name: Spud Chandler.

Pure Speculation: Brad Lidge

2010-03-08T15:01:00.000-05:00

Without regard for statistical analysis, The Bandanna will predict the performances of each Phillies player for the entire season. Based entirely on guesswork, and intuition, here are my thoughts on upcoming season for:

Brad Lidge DOB: Dec. 23th, 1976 T: Right B: Right H: 6'5" W: 215

Welllll, that was an awful year last season. Lidge had perhaps the worst season a closer could have, and for right now, we have no clue if that's just because of injuries or a lack of confidence. If he was hurting last season, well, perhaps he will rebound in '10. But his career has been one of ups and downs, so maybe his perfect season was the mountaintop.

Hmm, let's see. There's no shot he gets to 31 saves this season. I just don't believe he will be healthy and effective to put up 31, thought he somehow managed that last season. I think he's got a shorter rope this year, but I also think he will be better (how could he not?). I think 28 saves next year, the majority coming in the second half...And that ERA of 7.21? That's going to fall too, right around 4.40...which really isn't that good for a closer, but we got to take what we can get...and since relievers don't rack up the innings, we will go by appearences, and I think Lidge will only show up around 45-50 games next year....because our offense will be disgusting, and because they (the Phillies) will want to limit his bullets.

Pure Speculation: Kyle Kendrick

2010-03-02T13:26:00.000-05:00

Without regard for statistical analysis, The Bandanna will predict the performances of each Phillies player for the entire season. Based entirely on guesswork, and intuition, here are my thoughts on upcoming season for:

Kyle Kendrick DOB: Aug 26 1984 T: Right B: Right H: 6'3" W: 205

Kendrick is 24-14 in parts of 3 years with the Phillies, and I thought he saved the season back in 07. He's kind of devolved into a sinker/slider guy, but he's athletic and that could work out for him. Look, I am not saying he's a future ace, but I think he will win the 5th spot. It makes more sense for the Phillies to throw him out there, rather than Father Time (Moyer). Plus, and and this will shock you, I think he's going to win some games for the Fightins.

OK, I understand that he has never been lights out...but he's the kind of pitcher who can rack up some wins for a team with a great lineup...I think he will benefit from tons of run support and the good defense this team plays and win 15 games...that's right, 15. And he is going to keep that ERA right around 3.90 all season. While clocking around 160 innings...which would make KK a borderline all-star, with 15 wins, a 3.90 era, and 160 innings. I really think next season is going to be Kendrick's fluky win season, the kind that he doesn't approach again, but keeps him in the bigs for a while. I think he will benefit from Halladay, and his sinker will destroy worms this year.

Tomorrow: Brad Lidge

Great Baseball Names

2010-03-02T13:16:00.002-05:00

Today's great baseball name: Fred Snodgrass

Pure Speculation: JA Happ

2010-03-01T14:02:00.000-05:00

Without regard for statistical analysis, The Bandanna will predict the performances of each Phillies player for the entire season. Based entirely on guesswork, and intuition, here are my thoughts on upcoming season for:

J.A. Happ DOB: Oct. 9, 1982 T: Left B: Left H: 6'6" W: 200

Happ performed well beyond expectations last season. At times he was the most consistent starter. However, I don't think he will be able to continue posting his previous numbers. Mainly, I think his ceiling is far lower than 12-4 with a sub-3 ERA. I'll put it this way: he's like a Cole Hamels, with better presence, but worse stuff.

Nothing really to go on, but I have been saying 8 wins all off-season, I really feel like 8-8 is where Happ's going to live next season...and, sorry to say, I think that his ERA is gonna soar to 4.50...next season he's going to get hit a bit more...but with the lack of depth on the Phillies starting staff in the minors, he will rack up around 180 innings next season...8 wins, a 4.50 ERA and around 180 innings...not too bad for a 4 or 5 starter, especially since I think tomorrow's prediction will surprise everyone.

Tomorrow: Jamie Moyer/Kyle Kendrick

Great Baseball Names

2010-03-01T13:51:00.002-05:00

Today's great baseball name: Hooks Wiltse

A Couple Interesting Notes

2010-02-26T15:35:00.000-05:00

So apparently it's not cool to get boozed up after you win a championship? The Canadian Women's Hockey team that won gold might get reprimanded for going back on ice to celebrate in front of their fans. Some members of the team are underage. I don't care for hockey much, but I wanted to say, grow up, IOC. 19 year old kids drink all over the world. I don't endorse it, but shit, I know it happens. And like winning a gold medal is not a valid reason to look the other way?
Saw this today, thought it would be an interesting read. The top 2000 prospects for 2010, from Minor League Baseball Prospects. Lot's of names there. Not completely up-to-date (Travis d'Arnaud is no longer a Phillie), or in the order I would draft up (Domonic Brown comes in at 11, the next Phil up is Phillipe Aumont at 158). But still check it out, maybe some names on there you might recognize.

Pure Speculation: Joe Blanton

2010-02-26T15:22:00.000-05:00

Without regard for statistical analysis, The Bandanna will predict the performances of each Phillies player for the entire season. Based entirely on guesswork, and intuition, here are my thoughts on upcoming season for:

Joe Blanton DOB: Dec 11th 1980 T: Right B: Right H: 6'3" W: 250

Heavy B is one of my favorites. He doesn't do much to surprise you. Every year it seems he goes off on a 4-5 game win streak. He goes out and throws whenever its his turn, and I feel like he is a better than average 3 (btw, he's 250 like I'm 250. 250 has to be a euphemism for 3 hundo).

I think he will win 14 games this season. Not a doubt in my mind. Every year he goes out and gets his low-teens wins, and this year I think he will be battling for 15...while he has generally had an ERA around 4.00, I foresee an upswing to the 4.50 range this year. He will be in a lot of 8-6 games, where the Phils grab an early lead, and by the 5th or 6th Heavy B will feel, heavy, and give up some runs before the 'pen shuts it down (sleeper prediction)...and of course, the reason why he's so lovable, he will pile up his almost 200 innings again by the end of the year. I feel, about 195 seems like the right number...14 wins, 4.50 era, and 195 innings. May not seem special, but next week I'll show you why those numbers will be good enough for a 3rd straight NL east crown.

Pure Speculation: Cole Hamels

2010-02-25T14:07:00.000-05:00

Without regard for statistical analysis, The Bandanna will predict the performances of each Phillies player for the entire season. Based entirely on guesswork, and intuition, here are my thoughts on upcoming season for:

Cole Hamels DOB: Dec. 27th 1983 T: Left B: Left H: 6'3" W: 190

I am down on Cole this season. I base that entirely on last season's middling performance, because I firmly believe the Phillies would have won the Series with a good performance from their two. That said, with Doc Halladay in town, I think he will be more relaxed this season, and in a better mindset to pitch.

Even with a better mindset, I don't see him having the same type of success that he had in 07, I see him right around 12 wins...he has generally had a winning ERA, and I think he will bounce back from last seasons 4.32 to a more acceptable 4.00 ERA, but I see it hovering right around 4.00 or lower for most of the season...he will bounce back from the soft injuries that bogged him down last season, and throw around 200 innings...12 wins, a 4.00 ERA, and 200 innings sounds like 3 pitcher production, but I think this will be the key season in Cole's career. If he puts up similar or better numbers in those 3 categories, I think that means he turned the corner. If he does worse, I see him as one of those guys who had too much success too soon.

Tomorrow: Heavy B

And the Crazies take Control

2010-02-25T13:54:00.000-05:00

The one all the way to the right? With the Braveheart face-paint? He was a finalist for the Lafayette Pepper Prize, which is given to the senior that displays the ideals of Lafayette. Now he coaches the young men of Eastern Illinois. Pray for us.

Pure Speculation: Roy Halladay

2010-02-24T17:17:00.000-05:00

Without regard for statistical analysis, The Bandanna will predict the performances of each Phillies player for the entire season. Based entirely on guesswork, and intuition, here are my thoughts on upcoming season for:

Roy Halladay DOB: May 14th, 1977 T: Right B: Right H: 6'5" W: 225

While I firmly believe Halladay is one of the top-5 pitchers in the game, I am a little anxious to actually see him go out and perform. Yes, he pitched in the AL East, the "Thunderdome" of the MLB, so he got to play in the high-intensity environments of Boston and NY, but he played for the Blue Jays. He was never the "guy" like he will be when he pitches in Citi Field.

That said, he's a stud. He consistantly puts up win totals in the upper teens on a mediocre Jays team; I'll be shocked if he doesn't win at least 18 games...his ERA for the last couple years has been in the high 2s/low 3s since '05; in this park, I see him right around 3.20...he is a stud, because he throws close to 220 innings a year; I'm guessing he puts in 230 this season. 18 wins, a 3.20 ERA, and 230 innings? May not blow your mind; without the peripherals (which would actually take some math work) it's hard to guess at anything else. But think about the starting pitching the last couple years. 18 wins and maybe 20 quality starts would be unreal after watching Jamie Moyer lead the staff in victories.

Tomorrow: taking a guess at Cole.

Look what I got in my Email:

2010-02-24T16:54:00.001-05:00

Ready for a little Independent-League baseball blog? Bandanna writer Kevin Reese is at it again, writing a piece for the Traverse City Beach Bums. Dig in and enjoy:

This player blog is the newest addition to the Beach Bums newsletter. Today's blogger is returning Traverse City pitcher, Kevin Reese (left). The East Stroudsburg, PA native pitched in 20 games last season for the Beach Bums and had a team-leading eight wins. In this blog, Kevintalks about his disappointment with the Beach Bums 2009 campaign, what he is doing in the offseason, and his excitement for this summer.

"Hey Beach Bums fans, it's Kevin Reese and I am excited for this up and coming season! If you aren't familiar with me, I am one of the returning starting pitchers from last year's squad. I have been working extremely hard this off-season and I can assure you my teammates are as well. After a long winter, I am itching to get back out on the diamond so I hope you all are ready for another action packed summer!

Looking back at last season, though disappointing from a win/loss and playoff standpoint, I see so many positives. We played our hearts out night in and night out, we played our best ball at the end of the year, we jelled much better as a team, and most importantly all the fans stayed by our side and kept rooting us on. The support from all of you last year is unprecedented and something that we never over look. Through all the ups and downs, your support remained consistent. You must understand, great fans make a great team. Thank you for all your love and support!

2010 is already shaping up to be a great year, are you ready? I know we all are! We have had numerous players picked up by affiliated clubs, so you know we have the right kind of ball players here. I have spoken with a few of the guys from last season's team and we are all ready to go. Everyone can't wait to take care of business and bring a championship home to Traverse City! With the chemistry between the fans, management, coaches and players we are bound for a championship playoff run because we all expect nothing less.

I have to say again that I'm truly excited for this upcoming season. I hope to see some familiar faces in the crowd again this year. God Bless and I will see you soon."
IT'S KEVIN REESE

S. Korea Green Baseball

2010-02-19T16:12:00.000-05:00

Check out this article on Yahoo News. I think that is a very cool idea. I understand that here, a lot of people will bitch about tradition, and keeping the game pure. But once you make a change like this, if you stick to it, it becomes tradition. Plus, it helps you sleep at night.

Philly Olympics?

2010-02-19T16:02:00.001-05:00

Philly Olympics? Any one?

It Will Never End

2010-02-19T15:57:00.001-05:00

The seniors in college baseball now, they are the last group of guys that I physically played with. They are my Dad's last connection with college baseball. I get this phone call at 3:24 today,

"Chris hit a single. I am watching on Gametracker."

It will never stop with him. In spring training news:

ESPN says Jose Reyes might bat 3rd. I mean, I'm cool with it. I do think he's a good hitter, but that's like having Bengie Molina as your cleanup hitter. You want more.
Buster Olney says Cole Hamels is working on a cutter. It seems like every couple years there is a new "it" pitch in baseball. It was the slider, then the splitter, now its the cutter. Good for Hamels though, he needs another pitch. Cutter makes as much sense as anything else, especially since his change-up is so good.
Jon Heyman also writes about Cole Hamels, calling him the key to the division. No pressure Cole. Just don't s the b again.
The Star-Ledger's Brian Costa brings us another Met volley, with Johan Santana proclaiming himself the best pitcher in the NL East. Totally cool with Johan saying that. A), it's not true statistically. B), after the crap the Mets pulled last year (what with them sucking so hard), this rivalry needs a kick in the pants. I say that now, at the top of the mountain, but I liked the rivalry when the Mets were king too. C), every time the Mets talk smack, it bites them in the ass. I can't wait to see what will happen this year.

Life After Baseball

2010-02-17T16:53:00.000-05:00

I was approached recently by a teammate about writing a weekly series for the Bandanna. I agreed to let him post his stories about life after college baseball. From now today on, we will be getting a regular series from a former college baseball player about adjusting to life in the real world, or the epic failure of said attempts.

I highly recommend reading each piece, but there will be some material that might be best read with earmuffs on. The Bandanna hopes to be a forum for stories and articles about baseball, and I hope that these provide a glimpse of what the transition from athlete to working stiff is like.

Is There life After Baseball?

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, Club Tao in the Venetian Hotel

We arrived at the club a little before 10PM on our first night in Vegas. It was a moment that we all had been waiting for for nearly six months. It was our first time in the “city of lights,” and we decided to spare no expense. Three of the four nights we had booked bottle service at three well-known clubs, a Sunday afternoon at the HardRock Hotel for the well-known Rehab party, two 5-star restaurants and only the best strip clubs in town. For the months leading up to the trip, I thought it would never come. However, there we were, standing in the VIP section waiting for our hostess to bring us to our table. A sudden calm excitement quickly filled my body, an unexplainable curiosity. I wonder what it looks like inside? Why am I the only one wearing jeans? Why the fuck is there so many Asians? However, those questions quickly left my mind as the doors of the club slowly opened and out walked our hostess. She was a scantly dressed 5 foot 7 inch blond haired mediocre chick that was in charge of bringing us to our table. She was with us for all of 5 minutes and made $50 bucks. Didn’t even show us her breasts but that’s the going rate for a hostess in Vegas, I think. Our table was dressed with the adult candy that we all enjoy. There were two bottles of the fine French vodka known as Grey Goose and an array of mixers that would make the owner of a bed and breakfast blush. As I sat on the leather couch in our private section at club Tao, I couldn’t help but reminisce about my life 6 months before Vegas. How did I get here? What would I do next? This must be the beginning of my life after baseball.

“The count is two and one…there are two outs…he must be throwing me a fastball. Yeah, there is no doubt he is throwing me a fastball. OK, here he goes. Here it comes…it’s a fastball but too high. Who Cares? It’s senior day. Fucking swing…nice, that has a chance. Make sure you cut before the bag. Where’s the centerfielder? Got em’…get over his head. Fuck!”

Just like that my four years of baseball at Lafayette College had come to a screeching halt. No more baseball. What would I do now? Since I was a little kid, baseball was such a huge part of my life. Summers, Springs, Falls, and even Winters, I was doing some sort of baseball activity. It can’t end like this. Can it?

Well, it did. Almost two years since my last collegiate at bat and I am yet to pick up a ball or a De Marini. I can’t even tell you where my glove is because I really do not know. Do I miss playing the game? Yes, yes I do. Do I love my life after baseball? Yes, yes I do.

Life after baseball didn’t start out the way I imagined it would. Working the everyday 9-5 like a fucking robot, trying to make enough money to blow it on booze and useless materialistic items that give us a slight escape from reality. The routine that doesn’t change much from day to day has become too familiar. Everything seems to be black and white, but there is one thing about me you will learn very quickly. I hate black and white. For the last two years, I have done just enough of the black and white to support a lavish lifestyle of booze, girls, and extra curricular activities that would have Charlie Sheen saying “that’s fucking nuts.” I am not a badass but I am definitely crazy. From threesomes to skydiving and burglary to unconsciousness, I have fulfilled many of the enjoyable and rewarding items on an ever growing “bucket list.” In less than two years after graduating from Lafayette College, I have done more and have had more thrilling life experiences than in the first 22 years of my life.

I have decided to share my experiences with all of those who are interested in reading. And for those of you, who thought this article had anything to do with baseball, it doesn’t and you’re an idiot. These entries will be about sex, drugs, and booze. It’s a comfort that we all enjoy and will never give up.

The Intimacy of Teammates

2010-02-16T17:47:00.001-05:00

So I have been a little hesitant to write this piece, mainly because I don't want to offend any teammates. But I decided that this was something that I find interesting, and therefore, I'll put it out there (caution: mature themes).

It's weird to me to read a story about Brett Favre, or Greg Maddux, where the author will mention that these great athletes likes fart jokes and slapping asses. Like the author is shocked that the elder statesman of the sport would do such a thing. So? That's what locker room behavior is. That's why these guys don't want to retire. You're not going to find these friendships anywhere else.

Maybe it was the first semester freshman year, when, in the main dining hall on campus, a teammate pulled down his pants to show me his pubic hair trimming technique and its effectiveness. Maybe it was my first spring break, when a senior on the team learned another teammate had a "hooded warrior"and asked to see it. And was promptly shown it (with several of us in the room).

I guess I don't really know where or when the intimacy between my teammates developed. But it is there. I spent this weekend with several teammates out in Jersey. After sledding and eating, and nursing our hangovers, we promptly grabbed blankets and laid down on the couch. 4 of us. I gently rested my head against our RF's arm and went to sleep.

Somewhere during the 4 years I spent playing baseball, we developed a camaraderie that would surprise some and offend others. We would often spend our days off in the fall nursing hangovers huddled together sharing blankets. I spent at least 70 nights through 4 years sharing a bed with another guy. One of the best lines from this weekend was, "John, remember watching Finding Nemo together?" Yes, I did remember.

When you spend so much time together, you lose any sense of privacy, or embarrassment. You see each other naked in the shower so often, dick jokes become normal ("Dude. That's an elephant trunk."). You talk about "manscaping" in the cafeteria like most people talk about "Lost" ("See? Look at that bush. That's why you never get laid."). You get "sick", and 29 other guys know about it; and can relate (small school). Guy on the team gets a hemorrhoid, another guy on the team asks to see it. To some people who read this, that's disgusting. It's not to doctors, or my teammates.

We spend time shagging flyballs in the outfield discussing the same topics most young men do. Sex. Except we spend our time talking about which teammates we would want to watch have sex ("Cause he's so uncoordinated. I can't imagine it would be fun for anyone."), or which teammate we would want to have a 3some with ("...no way dude! then they would both laugh at me"). I just assumed all baseball players did the same thing until I went to the West Coast and a coach told me that some teammates thought I was gay because of how I talked and what I talked about on the field.

It's not something I think is weird, or embarrassing. I had fun. I laughed about the craziest things. And it brought us together as a team. Not say everyone on the team was as easily intimate as some were (shockingly, the more politically conservative tended to shy away from some conversations). But to be perfectly honest, they just don't get it. It's not about embarrassing someone else. It's definitely not about braggadocio. We weren't trying to be "out there" with our humor, or "cutting edge". No way. It was just our friendship.

Now honestly, I am a little more liberal than most. I had girlfriends who found it weird that I ended some conversations with teammates with "I love you, man". But I think it's one of the more incredible and valuable things I have experienced. I mean, I pulled a Jerry MaGuire ("how come we don't have that type of relationship?") on a buddy who hadn't played baseball with me. I don't have that relationship with good friends who went to Quaker school with me.

Excitement is Building

2010-02-16T13:01:00.001-05:00

I woke up this morning incredibly excited. I spent last night talking with some old college teammates; one who is still playing, and one who is coaching. The player's season starts next weekend, and so does the coach's. MLB spring training starts in 2 days. Baseball is coming.

I remember as a player, the week before games started was great. Runs to Walmart to stock up on pillows for planes and buses, trips to Wawa to get snack food and dip, and moves to the cheap movie stores to build up a seasonal DVD collection. The one great thing about playing in the Northeast, you have to travel to a warm, sunny place to get your early games in.

Honestly, it's better than Christmas. You don't get presents, but your level of anticipation is higher, and longer. You might oil up your glove on Monday, and then oil it up the Thursday before you leave. You make sure you are stocked up on your favorite gum, and seed brand. And then you buy six more packs of each in case of rain. You flatten your hat brim in the heaviest textbook you got. Everything needs to be perfect for the start.

I think part of the reason for the excitement is that local baseball is at a high right now. I think part of it is that I can still connect baseball to a Ken Burns-style fantasy of innocence. Whatever the reason, it is nice to have something to look forward to. Hell, it's nice to enjoy the excitement itself during this terrible weather.

With that said, real quick programming note. The Bandanna is pretty experimental still. Trying to find what works and what doesn't, and what mainly is fun for me to talk about. I think that baseball will be the focus from now on. Talking about professional baseball, stories from playing days, that sort of thing. All the other sports chatter bores me, and makes me view this as too much of a job. Perhaps I will write on the Eagles, or other interesting topics, but I think narrowing the focus a bit will be a good thing. Let me know what you think.

Peace Frank

2010-02-12T15:40:00.000-05:00

Frank Thomas announced his retirement today. I saw the little blurb about it on Sportscenter as I ate some oatmeal. Didn't really pay too much attention to it. Then, as I shoveled snow around, I thought to myself, dang, I can't believe Frank Thomas retired. It didn't dawn on me until about an hour ago why this announcement was impacting me.

I started playing baseball when I was 8, because my dad wanted me to make friends and not be an indoor kid. Fortunately, I was 8 in 1993, so I started following baseball then as well (I still remember making "Boo Jays" signs). Before then, I was uh, metrosexual, about how I picked the teams I rooted for (Bengals wore sweet jerseys, Sonics because of the name Supersonics). But in '93, at 8, I learned that the local teams could be good, and that I could see them in person.

As I grew as a fan, I wanted to learn more about the entire sport. Since I played baseball (not basketball or football) that became my passion and my focus. So I bought magazines and read them throughout the year, watched as many ballgames as I could, just started to live the game more.

Frank Thomas was one of those guys that I followed. Back in the early 90s, he was one of the biggest names in the game. He was one of the guys I followed just because he was great. Craig Biggio, Tom Glavine, Fred McGriff, those were the guys. National names, players who transcended the game. I remember Frank Thomas.

I remember the little scouting report I put together in my mind. "Big power, smart hitter. Stands close to the plate and likes to extend his arms. Vulnerable inside, doesn't like it. Impact bat." I remember how announcers would say that pitchers didn't throw inside on him, because he would complain to the umpires. Remember during the steroids era, before we knew why guys were hitting 50 and 60 HRs and how people would speculate why there was a power surge? I remember somebody saying it was because nobody threw inside anymore, and that was due to Frank Thomas.

It is hard to watch your favorite players get old. Guys who used to hit .300 and smack 30 HRs struggle to the plate, as a DH, and can't catch up to good heat. Slider bat-speed. Watching Frank Thomas devolve into a bit player, that was weird. He was probably the last guy from my youth to go. He wasn't the same player, the impact player these last few years. And maybe it takes away from his accomplishments. But I'll always value Frank Thomas. And I am sad that he is leaving the game.

Northeast Baseball

2010-02-11T15:54:00.000-05:00

In honor of yesterday's epic snow storm (can I say blizzard?), I feel the need to talk about some of the wonders of baseball in the Northeast. Now, as everyone knows, the farther south you go, the better the ball. My friends who coach, they always tell me, you know when you're moving up, because you're going south. So playing baseball in the Pennsylvania for most of my life has been a unique experience.

There are so many snow stories that I remember. Think about this: today is February 11th. I have been on the field before this date, when I played in college. Only to practice, but we did have games in February. We even had games scheduled at our field, in Easton PA, in February. Not that we ever played but it was still scheduled.

Before I reminisce, I just want to say two things. Playing baseball up here, it's a labor of love. Because it sucks when it is cold. I liked to be flexible when I threw, I liked feeling like I could wrap my arms around myself twice. But when it's freezing, you have to load up on UnderArmour and tights. So you never feel as comfortable as you want.

And here's a helpful hint to baseball players around Philly right now: don't screw around in the snow too much. I know several guys who twisted ankles, tore labrums, or broke bones running around throwing snowing balls. Be smarter than us.

Ok, so now down to brass tacks. The realities of snow up here mean that we, the ballplayers, have to dig out our fields. As any ballplayer will tell you, field work sucks. And when it's cold and wet and you're an underclassmen, well, it sucks hard.

But what sucks harder than that, is dropping a friends car keys in the snow and slush and not being sure where they are.

But that's not as bad as doing fieldwork, in the snow, and losing the keys, right after said friend has learned that you broke up with their relative.

Bummer, man. It was not the happiest day of my life, that's for sure. All I'll say is that we found the keys before any permanent damage was done to me. Of course, snow had nothing to do with the end of the relationship, but hey, there is a connection, right?

That's not even the best one. Same year, we head down to Georgetown for a doubleheader. The Hoyas had shoveled the entire playing surface, leaving snow all around the edges of the field. Piles of it. We still played two games that day, when it peaked in the high 30s. Our ace throws a gem to start the day, and the bats are alive, which is a miracle in that weather. So we are feeling pretty good heading into the last couple innings of game 2.

Tied at 6 heading into the 9th, I start working on my second inning of the day. This was my first shot at a college save, actually any sort of college stat (no wins, losses, or saves till I was a sophomore). I was pretty pumped, so much so that when I had to intentionally walk a batter, I almost threw a strike (my catch told me later the only reason it was called a ball was because the ump was shocked). Needless to say, the next hitter drilled over the trees in left to win it.

As we get on the bus, the team is feeling fairly good about an opening day split in 30 degree weather. Even our coaches though we played well. So as our assistants get on the bus one yells out, "Hey fellas, good job today, everyone. Everyone except Fugett." Thanks, coach.

Things you think about on a snowy day.

Prospect Strategy

2010-02-10T18:01:00.000-05:00

I don't want to do anything today, because of the snow. But I did read Bill Conlin's piece about the prospects that the Phillies have in their system. I promised a prospect article, and may now have to write it, because Conlin pretty much fails.

Look, I was not a fan of the Cliff Lee trade. I love prospects. They are these valued assets that really haven't accomplished anything. But the coulda's, the woulda's that surround these chips make them exceptionally intriguing and part of the allure of the game.

Conlin writes an article that basically says hey, we don't know what we have here. These kids are being rated this way or that way, and they haven't played in the bigs yet. Good Bill, thanks for that. But then what? He talks about Michael Taylor and Domonic Brown, talking about Stanford vs. high school and Mike Trout and Billy Rowell (2 prominent Jersey 1st-rounders).

Look, I don't know how the Phillies operate internally. But from the outside, this is what I see. They stock up on athletic, projectable players. If they hit, they hit on a guy like Domonic Brown, who people say now has 5-tool potential. If they don't, so what? Only the 1st-round guys get the millions of dollars, so it's a cheap investment for them. People thought Billy Rowell could turn into a slugging 3rd baseman. He didn't, but the Orioles probably aren't that upset, mainly because they have a farm system, with a ton of guys who can play 3rd, and because they missed on a contract that wasn't as expensive as a major league middle reliever. The Phils do the same.

I like the draft strategy (or the one I see them using). If they hit on a high school talent, maybe he becomes a star. If they hit on a college talent, less likely to become a star because there is no projection left in a 22 year old. So I am all for the Phillies drafting toolsy, young players who are high-risk/high-reward. Kyle Drabek became tradebait (high school kid). Joe Savery is not even a prospect (college). Go big or go home, Bill. As he says, nobody actually knows how prospects will turn out. But if you don't draft the tools, you can't win the hardware.

Where are the Great Baseball Nicknames?

2010-02-09T17:49:00.000-05:00

Think about it. As a kid, I read all the old-time, baseball history books that my parents could grab for me. Part of the fun was reading about these guys, but part of the fun was the names themselves. "Cool Papa" Bell, "Yogi" Berra, "Babe" Ruth, "Three Finger" Brown, "The Georgia Peach" (Ty Cobb), "The Splendid Splinter" (Ted "Tuna Can" Williams). Names that were part of the lore of the players, names that became the identities of these guys. Now?

Now, it seems that our collective creativity has been reduced to first letter of the first name, part of the last name. "J-Roll", "O-Dog", "A-Rod". Are you kidding? Maybe this is because the great baseball names are never as fun or pretty as the media wants them to be. You can't call someone "Poop Snatch" on live TV, that's just not going to fly (yes, that is a real nickname).

If you think about the current ballplayers, or guys playing in this generation, where are the good nicknames? "Chooch", certainly. I hate to say it, but when someone says "The Captain", I think of Jeter right away. Ozzie Smith played until '96, so "The Wizard" qualifies for me. But are there any great nicknames anymore?

If you think of some, let me know, because I am dying here. Nicknames are necessary for sport, just like a goal, or boundaries. (I got stuck with "Fu", "Fugs", and, awesomely, "Cool Breeze" [which I wish had stuck])