Philadelphia Phillies storyline: FA possibilities

The empty hot corner will probably belong to someone other than Chase Utley for the Philadelphia Phillies in April. Who would be better than Freddy Galvis?

TAL’S HANDY CAPS

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Check out: Philadelphia Phillies storyline: Expectations 1 year after

CAP-SIZE HINDSIGHT: 9-5 Triumph

TYPE	PLAYER	REASON
The Crystal Champagne Toast	Chase Utley	Four-Star Performance
The Penthouse	Pete Orr Chase Utley Dom Brown Chooch Ruiz	* Smoked A 2-RBI Gap Double To Close Within 1 Run In The 2nd During His 1 For 2 Game Stroked A 2-Run Single To Tie It Up At 4 In The 5th During His 2 For 4 Night With A SB, A BB & 3 RBI A 2-Out RBI Triple To Take A 5-4 Advantage In The 5th Smacked A 2-Run Double To Open A 7-4 Lead In The 7th During His 2 For 5 Evening
The Workhouse	Home SP	* A 39-Pitch 2nd Inning
The Leather Warehouse	1B Darin Ruf	Made A Spectacular Over-The-Shoulder Catch Of A Foul In The 5th
The Fun House Of Mirrors	Home RF The Defense	Takes 1st On A SO WP & 2nd After A Throw (E2) To The Bag In The 8th A SO WP With The Bags Full & A DP Tag At The Plate To End The 8th
House Call	Ryan Howard Tyler Cloyd	Season-Ending Big Toe Injury Shut Down With A Dead Arm

Above Asterisk ( *) = Corresponding Play And/Or Event

Jimmy & Chase Score Consecutive Runs In The 7th

NITECAP INSIGHT

The Icy Corner:

Many fans in every MLB city are under the mistaken belief that free agents (plural) are always available to fill any roster spot. They also are unaware that parity has arrived even for the Yankees, because the new CBA is unfriendly to those who exceed the competitive-balance-tax threshold. That translates into organizations re-signing their home-grown talent, like Cole Hamels. Franchises retain their best players and drop the others.

The SO WP DP At Home In The 8th

Contracts have also been more prophylactic. As you can see in the table below, there isn’t much to be had at third base. Most intriguing is that 2 of them have options for 2013. Polly Polanco has a $5.5M mutual one and Kevin Youkilis has a $13M club type. There are also 2 third sackers with team options: David Wright has one for $16M and Mark Reynolds has the other at $11M. The Mets will hold onto Wright, if for no other reason than to deal him by next July 31. Reynolds swings for the fences during every at-bat and is not a good fit here.

Scott Rolen and Polanco are both extreme health risks. Youkilis will probably not be available, but Rube Amaro is more likely to make a trade than go in that direction. The best choice at third base is probably Galvis. At least in centerfield, Rube will have something to pick from, but that position isn’t overflowing either. If the brain trust was open to Utley at 3rd, they should have no problem with Freddy on that corner either.

Potential Free Agents:

PLAYER & AGE	2012 $	GMS	AVG.	HR	RBI	BB - IBB
Kevin Youkilis, 33	$12.50M	120	.235	19	60	51 - 2
Scott Rolen, 37	$06.50M	089	.243	07	38	30 - 0
Polly Polanco, 37	$06.25M	090	.257	02	19	18 - 1

Cole Dials Up A Cutter In The 3rd At The Bank On September 25 Against The Nats

PRECAP PITCH

Cole Hamels:

After struggling to get wins during the last few years, he goes into this game with almost half of the 33 aces’ victories. He has faced the Fish four times in both venues (2 each) with this log: 1-3, a 3.54 ERA, 28 total, 29 hits, 12 runs (11 earned), 8 walks (2 intentional) and 27 punch outs.

	STARTER	RECORD	TM	STARTER	RECORD	DAY & TIME
3	LHP Cliff Lee	06-08, 3.12 ERA	@ Nats	RHP Edwin Jackson	09-11, 4.13 ERA	Wednesday, Day

Nate Eovaldi Delivers His Pitch On September 25 In Atlanta

Nate Eovaldi:

For Miami, he is 3-6 and has a 4.42 ERA, going 6.2 innings or more in 3 of 11 opportunities with 3 debacles. Overall, he has worked 6.2 frames plus in 4 of 21 efforts with 6 clunkers. Against the Phils for 3 outings at 3 different parks (1 in Los Angeles), his ledger reads: 0-3, a 6.43 ERA, 14 complete, 22 hits, 11 runs (10 earned), 7 free passes and 8 strikeouts.

DELIVERY = PITCHER’S 2012	DEFINITION OF SEASON
Over The Top	Excellent
3-Quarter Sidearm	Good
Sidearm	Above Average
Short Arm	Approximately Average
Submarine	Below Average

Starters’ photos, not described otherwise, are in the 1st inning.

Quality number of the pitcher: 1 – 5

Slot on his club: 1 – 5

Ranking is 1 to 5 & 15 for the less adventurous.

*** = Approximately equal to after plus-and-minus computation

HURLER	Cole Hamels	Nate Eovaldi
NUMBER	A One	A Five
CLUB SLOT	Two	Four
FOR 2012	3-Quarter Sidearm	Short Arm
'12 RANKING	2nd of 5 Categories	4th of 5 Categories
LAST START	Knuckleball	Slider
LAST HIGH OR LOW	11th of 15 Categories	7th of 15 Categories

	PITCH	INN	ER - R- H		PITCH	INN	ER
1	Gyroball	9 (CG)	0 - 0 - 3	10	Screwball	6	4
2	Fastball	9 (CG)	0 - 0	11	Knuckleball	5	3
3	Cutter	9 (CG)	3	12	Forkball	0 - 4.2	Monstrosity
4	Split Finger	7	2	13	Eephus Pitch	0 - 2.2	Disaster
5	Curveball	7	3	14	*Palm Ball	Ejected
6	Sinker	6.1	3	15	*Spit Ball	**Ejected+
7	Slider	6	2		*Breaking Ball	Injured
8	Changeup	6	3		*Fosh	Rain Interrupted
9	Slurve	5	2		*Knuckle Curve	Pitch Count
	** = Suspended				* = A 2nd Pitch Also

STATS APOCALYPTIC HORSEMEN DOC HALLADAY
DOC'S LINE: 5 INN, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 7 K & 90 DARTS

ACE	W - L	ERA	INN+	CONV	CG - SO	BAD	INN	ER	BB - IBB	SO
Total	34 - 23	3.48	6.1	59 of 86	2 - 2	12	582.2	225	114 -2	557
Hamels	17 - 06	3.05	6.2	21 of 31	2 - 2	03	215.1	073	050 - 2	218
Lee	06 - 09	3.16	6.1	23 of 30	0 - 0	02	211.0	074	028 - 0	207
Halladay	11 - 08	4.49	7.0	15 of 25	0 - 0	07	156.1	078	036- 0	132

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