Results tagged ‘ John Mayberry Jr. ’
Bastardo vs. Peavy
Tonight’s game at Petco Park has some intrigue to it.
Phillies rookie Antonio Bastardo, who is taking Brett Myers‘ place in the rotation, faces Padres ace Jake Peavy, who the Phillies would like to take Myers’ place in the rotation (Roy Halladay or Roy Oswalt wouldn’t be bad, either).
It is true Peavy is a long shot to come to Philadelphia, but that does not mean the Phillies aren’t interested. We’ve been over this before. The Phillies and Padres would have to agree on the talent to be exchanged for Peavy, which is not easy. The Phillies would have to decide if they can take on the remaining $63 million on Peavy’s contract — no small task considering the Phillies have nearly $100 committed to a handful of players next season. And, oh, Peavy would have to waive his no-trade clause to make it happen, and there are indications he would be unwilling to do that.
But who knows? Maybe Peavy can’t work a trade to one of his preferred teams (Cubs, Dodgers) and has to think to himself, “Either I stay with the Padres, where they’ll have to cut payroll elsewhere, or I go to Philadelphia for three years.”
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The Phillies optioned John Mayberry Jr. to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room for Bastardo. The Phillies want Mayberry to play everyday. When the Phillies activate J.C. Romero after tonight’s game, I imagine left-hander Sergio Escalona will be headed back to the Minors.
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The Pen – the reality series featuring the Phillies bullpen – debuts Sun., June 14 @ 8 pm on MLB Network.
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Road Trippin'
The Phillies went 8-2 on their just completed trip through Washington, Cincinnati and New York. That’s their first 8-2 trip since Sept. 2007, when they handled the Mets, Cardinals and Nationals on their way to winning the National League East for the first time since 1993.
Some interesting numbers/things/events during the trip:
- They kicked things off at the White House on May 15.
- Brad Lidge had three saves and three blown saves.
- Rookies Sergio Escalona and Andrew Carpenter picked up wins in Washington.
- Rookie John Mayberry got his first big-league hit, a three-run home run at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.
- Chan Ho Park got bumped to the bullpen. J.A. Happ took his place and allowed two runs in six innings Saturday against the Yankees.
- The Phillies were tied for second in the majors with the Twins with 65 runs scored in that span (May 15-24). Only the Blue Jays (74) scored more.
- They hit .288 with 18 home runs, 62 RBIs, a .363 on-base percentage and a .510 slugging percentage. They stole 12 bases and got caught just twice.
- They had a 4.63 ERA, which ranked 24th in baseball.
- Raul Ibanez scored 11 runs, which tied for second in baseball in that span. Jimmy Rollins scored 10, which tied for fifth.
- Ibanez led the majors with seven homers and 17 RBIs.
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Phillies starters have a 6.03 ERA, which is the worst mark in baseball. Lidge has a 9.15 ERA, which is the second-worst ERA in baseball for a relief pitcher. Only Cincinnati’s Mike Lincoln (9.19 ERA) is higher.
But yet the Phillies are six games over .500 to the lead the NL East and have the fourth-best record in the National League. Explain that one.
OK. They’re averaging 5.69 runs per game, which is the second-best mark in baseball. Only the Rays (5.72 runs per game) have been better. They also have committed just 13 errors, which is the fewest in baseball. That’s four fewer than any other team in baseball and 22 fewer errors than the Mets. The Phillies are hitting and playing great defense. If you’re a Phillies fan, you have to like your chances if the rotation can pitch more consistently (they looked good this weekend against the Yankees) and Lidge figures out a few things.
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Mayberry Makes His Mark
Not a bad day for John Mayberry Jr.
He makes his Major League debut Saturday against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. He gets his first hit … a three-run home run to left field against Andy Pettitte. He then stretches a single into a double in the seventh inning.
And his dad gets on TV.
Well, the first dad wasn’t his dad. It was just some guy. I noticed that almost immediately because I interviewed Mayberry Sr. during Spring Training. I was like, “Why is Mayberry’s dad wearing a Panama hat and jersey? Wait a second … “
Hilarity ensued.
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Mayberry was the first Phillies to have his first big-league hit a home run since Chase Utley hit a grand slam against the Rockies on April 24, 2003, at Veterans Stadium.
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Giles Released; Mayberry and Carrasco Optioned
The Phillies made a few roster moves this morning:
- Marcus Giles has been released.
- John Mayberry Jr. and Carlos Carrasco have been optioned to Minor League camp.
- Mike Koplove, Jason Ellison and Pablo Ozuna have been told they will not be making the 25-man roster, but will accompany the team to Philadelphia for the On Deck Series on Friday and Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park.
The moves leave Miguel Cairo as the only potential righthanded bat that could make the Phillies’ bench, unless the Phillies make a trade before Opening Night. They continue to look for that righthanded bat, by the way. It also leaves Bobby Mosebach and Gary Majewski as potential bullpen candidates, although their chances took a big hit Friday when the Phillies acquired left-hander Jack Taschner from the Giants.
“I don’t blame their decision,” Giles said. “I got every chance in the world. It’s not their fault. There’s nobody to blame but myself. I would have made the same decision they did to be honest with you. I’m not a guy to make excuses. I had my chance.”
Giles had signed a Minor League contract with the Phillies, so they could have re-assigned him to Minor League camp. But with a glut of infielders at Triple-A, the Phillies figured it made more sense to let him go.
“I’m not going to get the at-bats I need there,” Giles said. “So in a nutshell, I think they did me a favor by giving me my release instead of sending me to Triple-A to play once or twice a week. I just need some consistent AB’s. I think I can make it back to this level.”
So how’s the 25-man roster going to look? Remember the Phillies don’t need a fifth starter until April 20, so they could open with 11 pitchers. If they open with 11, I think J.A. Happ makes the rotation, Chan Ho Park makes the bullpen and Cairo is the extra man on the bench. That would buy them time to move Geoff Jenkins or Matt Stairs before they need that fifth starter, which would move them back to 12 pitchers. If they open with 12 pitchers, I still think it’s Happ in the rotation and Park in the bullpen.
And don’t rule out the Phillies making a move before Opening Night or the first couple weeks of the season.
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The Braves have their rotation set for next week’s series against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park: Derek Lowe (14-11, 3.24 ERA in 2008) on Sunday, Jair Jurrjens (13-10, 3.68 ERA) on Tuesday and Javier Vazquez (12-16, 4.67 ERA) on Wednesday.
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Phillies vs. Pirates – 3/13
Here is the lineup for today’s game against the Pirates at Bright House Field:
1. Eric Bruntlett, LF
2. Jason Donald, SS
3. Raul Ibanez, DH
4. Ryan Howard, 1B
5. Jayson Werth, CF
6. John Mayberry Jr., RF
7. Pedro Feliz, 3B
8. Miguel Cairo, 2B
9. Carlos Ruiz, C
Scheduled to pitch: Joe Blanton, Bobby Mosebach and Ryan Madson.
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We took a look yesterday at the bench situation. I’m really not sure which way it will break, and I’m not sure the Phillies do, either. But I do sense they prefer Jason Donald and John Mayberry Jr. get regular at-bats in the minor leagues than get a couple pinch-hit at-bats a week in the majors, if possible. The last man on Charlie Manuel‘s bench doesn’t get many at-bats (i.e. Michael Bourn, So Taguchi, Alex Gonzalez), and that could impede their progress. So I get the feeling the Phillies will have to decide if they want three lefthanders on their bench (Greg Dobbs, Geoff Jenkins and Matt Stairs) or go with one of the veteran righthanded bats they have in camp (Miguel Cairo, Marcus Giles and Pablo Ozuna).
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The Yahoo! Answer Man interviews Shane Victorino with special guest appearances from Marcus Giles and Jon Gosselin from Jon & Kate Plus Eight. … Phinally Philly takes a look at the Wall of Fame nominees. … The Fightins has the ad Pat Burrell placed in The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News today.
Howard Is A Dangerous Man
Always keep your eyes open at the ballpark.
Ryan Howard just ripped a foul ball into the Bright House Field press box. The ball cruised between Phillies baseball communications folks Greg Casterioto and Kevin Gregg. Howard hit the ball so ridiculously hard that it put a hole in the drywall in the back of the press box, a good 20 feet behind the open window it sailed through.
Not only did the ball dent the drywall, you can actually see the seams of the ball imprinted on the wall.
Howard looked up into the press box and couldn’t help but laugh when he realized he nearly maimed Gregg and Casterioto.
Howard walked and John Mayberry Jr. followed with a three-run home run, which landed onto the Tiki Pavilion roof to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead. Howard hit a three-run homer to left field in the fifth inning to give the Phillies an 8-1 lead.
“He’s got some sock,” Howard said of Mayberry. “When I heard it, I thought, ‘That’s loud.’ Second, I said, ‘That’s going to hit somebody’s car because it’s going over the tiki bar.’ He’s got good pop everywhere. All across the field. If he gets that shot to be able to put it all together, he’s going to be a force to reckon with. He’s got all the tools. He’s got everything there.”
The Race Is On
Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee said today that the battle for the fifth spot in the rotation has started.
Beginning … now.
That seems to be good news for Kyle Kendrick, who is competing for that job. He allowed four runs in 2 2/3 innings today in a 9-5 loss to Team USA at Bright House Field. Kendrick had retired seven of the first eight batters he faced when he found trouble in the third.
Dubee wasn’t happy with the way he handled that trouble.
After Shane Victorino hit a chopper over Ryan Howard‘s head for a one-out single, Kendrick threw to first on a pickoff attempt. The throw was low, the ball got away from Howard and Victorino scampered to second. Kendrick threw up his arms for a split second. Jimmy Rollins then hit a ball through the hole between first and second to put runners at the corners. Dustin Pedroia followed suit, knocking the ball through the hole between first and second. Kendrick threw up his arms again, which irritated Dubee.
“That’s not acceptable behavior,” Dubee said.
“Poor,” said Dubee, asked to rate the progress Kendrick is making regarding controlling his emotions. “Poor today. He made a good pitch to Pedroia at the time, and he inside-outed a fastball and hit a little chopper between first and second and he threw his arms up like, ‘Poor me,’ or whatever. That doesn’t show control of your emotions.
“He threw the ball OK. Victorino hits a chopper. Jimmy hits a ball in the hole. Pedroia hits a ball in the hole. It’s going to happen to a sinker ball guy.”
Dubee said he considered Kendrick to be the favorite for the fifth starter’s job entering spring training. Is he still the favorite?
“I haven’t been evaluating yet, but the race is on now,” he said. “I would have liked to have seen a little more improvement, but again, it’s early. … He still needs better body language. He still needs a better presence, I’d say. It looked a little frail at times. Again, that chopped base hit, that’s life to a sinker ball guy and has to understand that. When you’re throwing your arms like, ‘Why me?’ or whatever he’s throwing them up for, that’s showing the other team there that you’re scuffling. And you don’t ever want to let your guard down. You don’t want to show how you might be feeling poorly or whatever.”
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Chad Durbin (right hamstring) threw a bullpen session today. It went well. Brad Lidge (forearm tightness) threw a live BP today. It also went well. Dubee said both could appear in Grapefruit League games next week. … Chase Utley could get into a Grapefruit League game in the middle of the month. … Pedro Feliz took live BP. If he comes out of that OK, it will be a big step for him. … Jayson Werth will play in a “B” game against the Toronto Blue Jays at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Bright House Field. … John Mayberry Jr. is playing center field against the Blue Jays at 7 p.m. tomorrow at Dunedin Stadium. He has never played center field before, but he said he is looking forward to it. … The Phillies “traded” Joe Bisenius and Scott Nestor to Team USA early in the game because they need a couple extra arms. Bisenius allowed three hits and a run in one inning. “It was kind of weird facing Lou (Marson), guys I played with last year,” he said. “It was a good time. It was a cool experience.”
Hamels Looks Like Hamels In Spring Debut
Cole Hamels threw two scoreless innings today in a 9-2 victory over Team Canada, eh.
Hamels, who was making his spring debut, has been brought along slowly after he threw 262 1/3 innings in 2008. But Hamels is on target to start Opening Night on April 5 against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park.
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John Mayberry Jr. went 2 for 3 with a two-run home run to left field in the fourth inning. He crushed it. The man has some serious power, and like I’ve said before he is giving the front office and coaching staff something to think about as they figure out how to compose their bench. … Raul Ibanez went 1 for 3 with a bases-loaded double. … Oh, yeah, because this game was an exhibition with Canada, you won’t find these statistics in their overall spring training statistics. So today happened, but it didn’t happen, you know?
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Jimmy Rollins is having back discomfort? It appears so, although he played nine innings today for Team USA.
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A report has linked Phillies assistant general manager Chuck Lamar to the GM vacancy with the Washington Nationals. It’s not far fetched. Nationals president Stan Kasten knows Lamar from their days in Atlanta. Lamar also worked with the Nationals in 2007 before he joined the Phillies last year.
The Nationals have not contacted the Phillies for permission to speak with Lamar about the job.
“I haven’t talked to Stan,” Lamar said.
Lamar didn’t say much when asked about his interest in the job or interest in becoming a GM again. Lamar served as the Tampa Bay Rays general manager from 1995 – 2005.
“All I’m worried about is tomorrow at 11 o’clock when we have our first minor league meeting,” he said. “We have a 150 players into camp, so I’m thinking about that right now.”
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MLB Network features the Phillies tomorrow during its 30 on 30 program. We have a tie-in of sorts with a Q&A with Charlie Manuel, a minor-league organizational report and more tomorrow on the Web site.
Todd Zolecki
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