2013 Philadelphia Phillies: AARP Edition (big shout out to Morbius #1 fan)

so I will see Cliff Lee pitch Friday

...No I won't. Stiff neck.

So I heard Phils CEO Dave Montgomery this morning, here's what he said:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=21414

And late pinch-hitting speaker at the banquet (which I didn't buy a ticket for) tomorrow, LARRY BOWA! Hoping to sneak in just for the speech, to hear some profanity.

ask Bowa how he feels about talking mad shit about Matt Kemp back in 2007

Good job by critical, outspoken closer.

lol hamels

eight scoreless, drives in the only philly run personally, no decision

only thus far, at any rate

I saw the last 3 outs in hotel bar, hilarious

what a moment, seriously

sadpapelbone.mp3

Second to only James Russell in BLSVs.

Pre-game "Wall of Fame" ceremony for Curt Schilling! Bringing some dough to invest in his next company.

omg, ex-Senator Jiim Bunning showed up. Schmidt and Carlton too, mercifully. Kruk did a nice Jackie Gleason take when it was his turn to speak.

love this fucking team's free fall

Let's get younger through the manager!

Musta been that gif of Charlie's dentures slipping that did it.

CM says he did not resign. Amaro didn't want him to "go through" the last 6 weeks, that Sandberg was going to manage next year was an open secret.

I'm glad I saw Charlie get tossed in the ninth 2 weeks ago at CBP, and got to yell "Sit down and shut up" one last time.

The team informed Manuel that it would not renew his contract and a decision was made to part ways now rather than finish the season. Manuel made it clear that he didn't resign.

in the visitors dugout at pawtucket's mccoy stadium, jim riggleman smiles grimly

I wonder what the avg timespan is for a World Series-winning manager to get canned? Obv Billy Martin was quick after '78, but that was a psychotic unique situation. Johnny Keane and Dick Williams both quit right after winning the WS.

he stuck around longer w/ the Phils than Johnson did w/ the Mets ... so ixnay on the smug gloating.

cito gaston fired more quickly also (and he won two)

Mayo Smith won in '68 with the Tigers, got fired after the '70 season...to make room for Billy Martin. Much faster than Manuel, Johnson, or Gaston.

Eisbaer still the same, 20 years of losin' comin up just for you

I didn't even mention Manuel in the question, dick.

http://the700level.com/top-posts/photo-this-shot-of-charlie-manuel-leaving-citizens-bank-park-is-really-sad/attachment/charlie-manuel-4/

He didn't keep a lot of things in his office, did he?

he's got wawa, shd quit complaining

Roy Halladay vs Arizona: 6 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

Looks like there's some life left in the tank.

As the saying goes

Good news--can't think of anybody I'd more want to see turn it around.

Ryno gets a 3-year deal, and hey they're now tied for 3rd w/ Mets

@ToddZolecki
Roy Halladay leaves the game after three batters. Sweat dripping off his face during the first batter he faced. Topped out at 83 mph.

No 2014 thread yet!

Burnett looks comfortable enough pitching with the hernia, but swinging the bat and running are clearly painful.

scoop em up!

http://www.thegoodphight.com/2014/5/1/5671366/phillies-seat-discounting-begins-in-earnest

releasing Howard after the season?

http://www.csnphilly.com/baseball-philadelphia-phillies/ryan-howard-sits-future-team-serious-question

more on the horror: http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-outside/story/ryan-howard-philadelphia-phillies-contract-regress-struggle-trade-rumors-release-072514

gee who could have seen this one coming

http://i.imgur.com/WAGV2wX.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BvBakS2IUAAWCrC.png

class

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014/9/14/6149001/jonathan-papelbon-blows-lead-gets-ejected-for-crotch-grabbing-at-fans

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BxinjJsIMAAurlT.jpg

phillies extend jerome williams (6.71 era last year, dfa'd by the astros) for one year at $2.5m

phillies extend grady sizemore (rip) for one year at $2m

and amaro coming back again

when's the soonest we could compete again? 2018? 19?

i mean that's not a ton of money and williams was actually weirdly good for the phillies when they picked him up late in the season, but ffs literally no other team would give those guys big league contracts

pat gillick explicitly admitted today that the phillies won't contend in 2015-2016. which is true, tbf

they're gonna have to wait until the end of the howard contract i guess :/

they're gonna have to wait until the end of the amaro contract ^_^

i think amaro will be gone first

like what's going to happen? he's going to turn things around this next year?

what will it take to get him canned? they've gone downhill every year since he took over, which isn't necessarily his fault, but he's only aided the process. no one (except j-paps) has any expectations of the team anymore, so it's not like ppl will be let down by a fourth- (okay, fifth-) place finish next year.

and if his failure to trade byrd/papelbon/cliff/hamels/anyone to shore up a terrible farm system hasn't gotten him fired yet, then what's left?

Amaro revolution: "use the whole field, make quality outs, bunt for hits"

http://www.csnphilly.com/baseball-philadelphia-phillies/ruben-amaro-demands-changes-philadelphia-phillies-offensive-approach

I'm sure Howard is going to get right on that.