Comments on: Year In Review: Eric Bruntlett

By: shag beta sigma delta

shag beta sigma delta — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:46:21 +0000

Neither Polonco or DeRosa are everyday 3rd basemen, both would be good bench guys. I still think Peter Happy will be back for 3-4 million and a team option for 2011. I can still hope, if you can get him back and either Polonco or Derosa on the bench that would be huge.
I also think The Beard suffered from limited at bats, but I don’t like dissing him on here, he was key in a WS win, if I remeber correctly did he not score the winning run in game 5 second half, I may have that wrong, was it Jenkins that got the double to lead off second half game five, I smoke way too much

By: Amanda Orr

Amanda Orr — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:58:29 +0000

Come on Rob, the beard doesn’t bring it up to a one?

By: Don M

Don M — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:11:06 +0000

I think the reason they didn’t keep Polanco before is that he doesn’t have the arm or quick-reflexes to play 3b

he is a contact hitter, with sure hands … almost the definition of a 2b

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:00:34 +0000

DeRosa is versatile but my premise on Polanco is he’s a lifetime .300+ hitter…plays second base at a gold glove level, and is very adept at 3b as well defensively. so he can be our everyday 3b guy but gives us the ability to rest Chase more while giving Dobss ABs and innings at 3B. This strengthens our bench (making Dobbs more effective with regular ABs) and upgrades our situational hitting which is a serious team weakness and a major area of strength for Polanco. He has a high baseball IQ and if you watched Damon and Jeter in the Series you know that matters. Polanco is a winning type of player. As for age:

Polanco born 10/10/75
DeRosa born 2/26/75

Defensively:
DeRosa’s lifetime fielding % at 3B is .955 (311 games). Polanco at 3B is .982 (322 games) and he’s a gold glove-level second baseman.

I just think there is a DeRosa bandwagon now and I’m not understanding what he does better than Polanco except hit for some more power…which is not a necessity on this team…situation hitting is.

By: Biggie26

Biggie26 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:00:28 +0000

I think Bruntlett’s biggest contribution was that I always knew I could go to the bathroom and not miss anything when he was at bat!

By: Georgie

Georgie — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:37:09 +0000

Hey Manny and Geoff, thanks. Good to hear from you Geoff, especially the “young lady” part, lol!

How old is Polanco? I always liked him, wouldn’t mind seeing him back here.

By: shag beta sigma delta

shag beta sigma delta — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:16:37 +0000

I do not see DeRosa as an everyday third basemen. He would not last a full year playing everyday, and is no where near Pedro defensivly. He would be a great pick up for a bench guy. Raul, Chase, and even Vic and Wreth need some more time off during the year. So he would get some AB then the Beard did this year. Pitching and defense wins, the Phillies do not need to upgrade their offense in detriment to their defense.
And as I said during trade dead line last year, you do not give up potential for a year or a year and a half of a guy. That is why I really think they will re sign Lee to 2 or 3 more years. Halliday is a pipe dream I think, if Hamels shows up at all next year the rotation of Lee, Hamels, Blanton, Happ, and X?(Drebek, Kendrick, Park) though I like Chopper in the pen. would be formidable. I also think some of the pen spots can be filled in farm within the Phillies farm system. Spend money on resigning Lee, and look for a back of the rotation guy if you do not think Drebek or someone else from the system can be the #5 this year.
I like the idea of Placido Polanco, I know it is not the best way to go about it but which ever one is Cheaper between he and DeRosa, either would be fine with me. PP would be a big upgrade, and he has played here before, so the fit in the clubhouse would already be known.

By: Ed R.

Ed R. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:16:08 +0000

Chuck…good point, just because you spend money doesn’t make you good. Look at the Met’s. A team can easily get hand cuffed by a bad contract or two…Flyers with Danny Briere and Sixers with Elton Brand.

By: Dhall

Dhall — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:15:35 +0000

Wow…he got 18 hits? I don’t remember those.

By: Ed R.

Ed R. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:14:20 +0000

Personally I am ok with the Yankees spending. Does it suck for other teams? Yes but if you look at some of the teams that blow year in and year out, they also have some of the highest profit margins because their owners choose to pocket money instead of investing it back in their product. The Pirates come to mind. Afterall, what is wrong with the Yankees doing whatever it takes to win? It’s not like they are cheating. They are functioning within their means, don’t we all do that? Though to a lesser extent?

That being said, the difference with Halladay and what the Yankees did was that we are taking a risk in trying to trade for him? We lose something in a trade. If Halladay resigns, then that lose decreases, but if he walks after one year, then really, unless the Phillies won a title then the trade may not be considered that of a success. Maybe it would be, I guess thats a matter of opinion. But that is different than what the Yankee’s do which is identify the best free agents and then pay them more than their market value dictates simply to deter other teams from even trying to sign that guy.

And lastly, whoever said that the players union pressures these guys is absolutely right. People make out players to be the bad guy because they chase the money, maybe some do, but they don’t all. A lot of times the Players Union has as much of an impact as anyone or anything else. Remember, the Sox almost traded for A-Rod but the Union blocked it due to A-Rod having to take a pay cut. Doesn’t seem fair from an outside perspective but the Players Union is a business too.

I say, bring on Halladay, Beltre and anyone else the Phillies can go after. Because as long as baseball will allow free spending, then why not take advantage?

Oh and also, we do need Halladay to win another World Series. Successful baseball teams are like sharks, if they aren’t moving(wheeling and dealing) then they are dead. Standing pat is easy to do but it isn’t always right. Look at the Eagles. They went to the Super Bowl in 2004 and lost, the following year they did nothing in the off season, traded away draft picks I believe and now look at them. They over estimate their talent and that blinds them to the reality. Sure they owned the NFC for a while but the NFC as a whole was awful, while they stood pat, other teams built up their talent and surpassed them.