Comments on: 100 Greatest Phillies: 74 – Ryan Madson

By: MadSon

MadSon — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:22:09 +0000

That’s gonna be hard, since starting pitcher used to pitch 8-9 innings and teams regular only used one or two pitchers a game. So most good middle relievers/set-up men are still playing or recently retired and aside from that most really good ones(that guy from the yankees comes to mind) go on to become good closers, or started out as solid starters who moved to the pen as they got older. So they are mostly remember as that.

By: Chuck P

Chuck P — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:53:58 +0000

Name me a middle reliever in the HOF… Anyone? Anyone?? Buehler? I just don’t think that a middle reliever who pitched 2-3 good years deserves to be on any all-franchise list.

By: Chapps

Chapps — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:34:33 +0000

Chuck P – Really all Madson did was the same thing many pitchers due, when they know they are only going to pitch one or two innings. They put more into each pitch, Meyers Fastball pickup a couple of MPH when he went to the pen, and he even said he was still trying to throw hard at the beginning of this year and that is way he struggled. So it’s not surprising that he added 5-6 mph to his fastball.

Most Everyone else – Madson struggled when the Phillies tried to use him as anything other then what he is, and that is a one to two inning pitcher. He’s not a started he’s not a log reliever, and as soon as people realized that he became a better pitcher and asset to the team.

With that said I would still not have put him this high, but what do I know My Top Ten looked like this:

1. Von “Five for One, Two in the First” Hayes
2. Pat “The Bat” Burrell
3. Randy “Always” Ready
4. Jose Dejesus
5. Manny Trillo
6. Ryne “Oh what could have been” Sandberg
7. Jim Eisenreich
8. John “One Nut” Kurk
9. John Christopher Vukovich
10. Mitch “Wild Thing” Williams

By: fred

fred — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:13:58 +0000

Madson over Mitch Williams and Myers ? What about that year Madson had an ERA over 5 ? And you can’t compare Madsons ERA to Myers as Myers has the harder task of starting. Winning percentage also is fluke, in 2007 Eaton won something like 12 games with an ERA over 6 and Hamels didn’t win near enough games with his ERA last year.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:07:14 +0000

Jim says~”Obviously if he (Madson) makes another list next year through 2009, then the current players stats will reflect that.”

That’s precisely my point. Because Tim Malcolm made the decision to include in his rankings of “greatest” players of those who are CURRENTLY playing, he would need to justify his choice(s) with updated rankings on a YEARLY basis. Why he decided to rank a current Phillies player with an INCOMPLETE career record and who may have a disappointing season in 2009 is puzzling. Of course, the next question is would Tim even bother to do another “greatest” list after next season?

Do you now see my point?

By: Matt Kwasiborski

Matt Kwasiborski — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:09:27 +0000

No way does Madson deserve to be on this list at all. He has had one consistent half season. Until this year he was horrendous after the 7th inning and constantly gave up huge hits that allowed opposing teams to tie or take the lead. This is clearly a bias against this guy considering he had one good half year. We need to let the WS go in our minds but not in our hearts when it comes to making prudent and respectable decisions.

By: IRONPIGPEN

IRONPIGPEN — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 02:34:48 +0000

Am I the only one in the world who doesn’t think an aging veteran with a hefty paycheck is something the Phillies don’t need? What’s with the Nomar obsession? There’s not a younger guy out there who can’t do what Nomar does for less and longer, too?

By: Geoff M

Geoff M — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 02:20:35 +0000

A lot of people have been saying negative things about Nomar’s character and locker room presence, but he’s a class act. His divorce with the Red Sox wasn’t bad and he thanked the fans and his team in a press conference. Schilling says the Sox would have never won without Nomar… Anyway, I also found this tidbit:

On October 8, 2005, Garciaparra and his uncle Victor were alerted to the screams of two women who had fallen into Boston Harbor outside his condominium. One of the women sustained injuries to her head after hitting the pier on her way in. Garciaparra quickly jumped into the harbor and saved both women, who were later taken to the hospital

By: pb

pb — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:22:57 +0000

Rueben’s on the MLB Network’s Hot Stove show right now

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:42:15 +0000

Bruce I’m pretty sure these rankings are through 2008. Obviously if he makes another list next year through 2009, then the curret players stats will reflect that.