Philliedelphia

Cliff Lee Aims to End Phils 3-Game Skid

Even after Jimmy Rollins' 44th career leadoff homerun, the Phillies could not find a way to get a win in Arizona. Even more disappointing was the waste of Tyler Cloyd's solid performance, which was good enough to get him sent back to AAA. The Phillies fell once more to the Diamondbacks, 3-2, and after having taken the first two games from the Giants, they have lost three straight one-run games. 

Perhaps the dominant hand of one Cliff Lee will help the Phillies get back on track. Tonight, he will take the mound for the Phillies in the third game of a four game series with the Diamondbacks in Arizona. Opposing him is former Athletic Trevor Cahill.

Cahill is currently 2-3 with a 2.80 ERA on the year. He is in his second year with Arizona after being acquired from Oakland in a 5-player deal a few offseasons ago. Cahill is a former 18-game winner, but has struggled to match those numbers in the last two seasons. A number of Phillies batters have faced Cahill before, and combine for a measly .236 average against him. Michael Young has 36 PA's against him from their days in the AL West, and has recorded 9 hits (2 2B, 1 HR). In the last three seasons, Cahill is 1-1 against the Phillies in three starts, holding  3.60 ERA in 20 IP. He is coming off a win against the Dodgers in which he went 7.0 innings with 2 ER and 2 K.

Cliff Lee will be facing the club he was rumored to be traded to on several occasions. He is also coming off an impressive star, where he went 8.0 innings and struck out 6. Sitting at 3-2, Lee looks to match team leader Kyle Kendrick for the most wins. This current Diamonbacks squad is a combined 31-150 against Lee, a .207 average. Watch out for Paul Goldschmidt, who is 2-6 with 2 homeruns against Lee in his career. Clifton has also faced the Diamondbacks three times in three years, and has collected a 1-1 record with a 4.09 ERA in 22.0 innings.

Game Notes:

• Cliff Lee did not get his fourth W until September 1st last season. He could reach that mark tonight.
• A loss tonight would put the Phillies 6 games under .500 for the first time since Septerber 4th, 2012.
• SCORE SOME RUNS

Phillies Lineup:

1. Jimmy Rollins SS
2. Chase Utley 2B
3. Michael Young 3B
4. Ryan Howard 1B
5. Delmon Young RF
6. Domonic Brown LF
7. Carlos Ruiz C
8. Ben Revere CF
9. Cliff Lee P

Diamondbacks Lineup:

1. A.J. Pollock CF
2. Didi Gregorious SS
3. Paul Goldschmidt 1B
4. Cody Ross LF
5. Miguel Montero C
6. Martin Prado 3B
7. Gerrardo Parra RF
8. Josh Wilson 2B
9. Trevor Cahill P

Forecast: Partly Cloudy - 93° - 0% PoP

TV: CSN
Radio: 94.1 WIP, 1210 WPHT

GO PHILLIES!

Andrew Gillen is a writer for Philliedelphia. Follow him on Twitter @AndrewJGillen 

Cliff Lee Dominates Giants; Phillies Win 6-2

On paper, Cliff Lee vs. Madison Bumgarner seemed to be quite the pitching matchup. And, that's close to what we saw. Even though Bumgarner would go on to give up five runs, it did not feel like a large lead. Luckily for the Phillies, though, it was large enough to get their 15th win of the season. Here's how the Phillies were able to defeat the Giants, 6-2. 

The top of the first inning occurred in typical Phillies fashion. Two straight outs by Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley were quickly followed by two singles and a walk. With Michael Young, Ryan Howard, and Delmon Young all on base, Domonic Brown promptly grounded back to the mound to make the final out. Cliff Lee worked an effective 1-2-3 bottom of the inning. 

In the second, John Mayberry singled to lead it off. Erik Kratz then grounded to Marco Scutaro, but an errant flip to Brandon Crawford allowed him to reach. Cliff Lee would then successfully convert his first sacrifice bunt of the season. After a Rollins popup, Utley walked to load the ases once again. Michael Young would deliver his second hit of the game, a double to right that scored two. After Utley's picture-worthy fall heading to third forced him to stay on base, a wild pitch allowed him to score. Howard's strike out ended the inning, but they take the lead. 3-0 Phillies. Lee would retire the first batter of the inning, but give up a solo homerun to former Phillie Hunter Pence after a questionable call on a 2-2 pitch. Two quiet outs would end the frame. 3-1 Phillies. 

Both pitchers worked quick respective halves of the third inning. The only offense in the fourth came off the bat of Cliff Lee, you lined a single off Madison Bumgarner. Michael Young would hit a long double for his third hit in as many appearances in this game. Howard was able to move him over, then Delmon Young forced a sac fly to right. Brown followed that up with a bomb into McCovey Cove. 5-1 Phillies. 3 up, 3 down in the bottom of the fifth for Lee, who is dealing.

Once again, both pitchers showed their brilliance, working double 1-2-3 halves of the sixth inning. Chad Gaudin would come out to replace Bumgarner in the seventh. He would continue his season of impressive pitching, working the inning without much fuss. Lee would do the same. The seagulls then completely took over AT&T Park.

No hits for the Phillies in the top of the eighth off Gaudin. In the bottom of the eighth, the Phillies continued with their plans to remove Delmon Young late in ballgames. John Mayberry would move to right field, and Ben Revere came on to play center. At the plate, Pence would get his third hit of the game, a double to left. A single by Francisco Peguero combined with a Rollins error created the Giants second run. 5-2 Phillies.

Former Phillies prospect Jean Machi (yeah, I don't remember him either) would come on to pitch the ninth. Erik Kratz would begin it with a walk, and Freddy Galvis would secure a pinch-hit double, ending Cliff Lee's masterpiece. Rollins would line a sac fly to left, and the Phillies scored their sixth run. 6-2 Phillies. Jonathan Papelbon would close it out with a 1-2-3 ninth inning. Phillies win 6-2 and move to 15-18 on the season. 

The story of tonight's game? Clifton Phifer Lee. He was masterful, only giving up two runs and striking out six. He has been pitching well all year, but finally got the proper run support to provide a well-deserved win. Tomorrow, the Phillies look to at least win the series against former Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum. Kyle Kendrick, the Phillies best starting pitcher this season, will look to help the cause. It'll be another late night, as the game is set for a 10:15 PM eastern start time. Make sure you work in those naps read our recap the next morning!

Andrew Gillen is a writer for Philliedelphia. Follow him on Twitter @AndrewJGillen

Indians Mash Seven Home Runs, Defeat Phillies 14-2

A fatter version of the current Delmon Young

It was supposed to be an entertaining game. The Phillies were making their first appearance in Clevland since 2007, and Roy Halladay was going to continue his three-game hot streak. However, he reverted back to the beginning of the season, and Zach McCallister looked dominant. He held the Phillies to just two runs, and the Indians bats erupted for 14. If you can stomach it, here is the full game recap. 

McAllister kicked things off with a 1-2-3 top of the first inning. Mark Reynolds made a fantastic play at first base to record the third out. Doc gave up a single and stolen base to Jason Kipnis, who was brought home on a monstrous home run by catcher Carlos Santana. Halladay would then walk the somehow-still-playing Jason Giambi and give up a second homeun to Mark Reynolds to center field. 4-0 Indians.

In the top of the second, Delmon Young made his Phillies debut by pounding a solo homerun to right-center field. Cleveland went quietly in the bottom half. 4-1 Indians.

A single by Kipnis and a walk to Santana led to the only baserunners for either team in the third inning. The Phillies would go quietly once again in the fourth. The Indians would not.

Mark Reynolds singled off Halladay to begin the inning, and Lonnie Chisenhall crushed the Indians' third home run of the game. Two singles and two outs led to Asdrubal Cabrera, who promptly singled in two more runs. It would be the final blow to Roy Halladay, who was lifted for reliever Chad Durbin. A Santana strike out ended the bloodshed. 8-1 Indians. 

Halladay's line: 3.2 IP, 9 H, 8 ER, 2 BB, and 3 K. *Shutters in fear*

Delmon Young got hit with a pitch and Domonic Brown walked in the top of the fifth before the next three Phillies would make outs. Sad. The Indians bats continued to dominate. Giambi doubled to lead it off, and was followed by two ground outs. Ryan Raburn quickly ended that trend by homering off of Durbin. A single by former Red Drew Stubbs was quickly met with the Indians' FIFTH 2-run homerun of the game, this time by Michael Brantley. 12-1 Indians 

McCallistar continued into the fifth, looking very impressive thus far. With two outs in the inning though, Chase Utley showed some pop, driving a ball out to deep right-center. Delmon Young not only got his second hit of the game, but also managed to trend on Twitter:

It was at this point in the game where Charlie Manuel seemed to give in, as Freddy Galvis and Kevin Frandsen came on to play for Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley, respectively. Raul Valdes came in and held the Indians to no runs. The joke of a game continued perfectly, with Ben Revere hitting into an inning-ending double play.

Ryan Raburn blasted his second homerun of the game, the sixth of the night for the Indians, off Valdes in the seventh. And, as expected, Drew Stubbs hit the team's seventh homerun of the night. 14-2 Indians. Brutality. 

After McAllister left the game, Nick Hagadone came in and allowed two straight walks to Galvis and Michael Young. However, a double play and a groundout ended any and all threats. 

Things only got worse in the eighth, when three of the first four batters reached base against Phillippe Aumont. However, a double play ended the threat, and the Indians would not score more than two touchdowns. 

As they should have, the Phillies ended the game with a 1-2-3 top of the ninth. Thankfully, the beat-down was over. 

This was just stupid awful. The broadcast team focused a majority of the game constantly going back to a woman in the stands that was almost hit by a foul ball. I would like to go on a lengthy rant, but they did just come off a sweep, and you probably have no interest. You're rarely, if ever, going to be able to overcome SEVEN homeruns by the opposing team, especially when more than half of them are two run shots. Roy Halladay looked terrible, and the concern has only escalated for both his health and well-being. Overall, it was just a mess of a game. 

The good news is, Delmon Young looked surprisingly formidable at the plate. We'll get a real taste of his ability when he plays right field tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, Cliff Lee will take the mound at Progressive Field and face the Indians for the first time since he was traded to the Phillies in 2009. He will match up against Trevor Bauer, a first round pick, third overall, by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2011 MLB Draft. Bauer has been impressive in Columbus, the Indians' AAA afilliate. However, his stats have not transferred well to the majors to this point. For the Phillies sake, hopefully this trend continues. 

Andrew Gillen is a game-recapping extraordinaire for Philliedelphia. Follow him on Twitter @AndrewJGillen

Phillies Open Up First Home Series of 2013 Against the Royals

Photo: Philliedelphia/Kevin Durso

After six long months of anticipation, the Phillies are finally returning to Citizens Bank Park. Coming off a 2-0 victory over the Braves, their first of the season, the team will play it's first of five (six you you split the home-and-home series vs. Boston) interleague series against the Kansas City Royals (1-2). Cliff Lee was masterful in Atlanta, tossing eight shut out innings while striking out eight. Papelbon then came in to close it out with a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth. Today, we will see former Ray Wade Davis (2012: 3-0, 2.43 ERA out of the bullpen) take on fan "favorite" Kyle Kendrick (2012: 11-12, 3.90 ERA) as the Phillies look to even their record at 2-2.

The Phillies have not faced the Royals at home since 2004, meaning Kyle Kendrick has never faced the team. However, Jeff Francoeur (8-17 vs. Kendrick) will be making his return to Philly. We all know Spring Training numbers are next-to-pointless, so Kendrick's 1-3 record and 6.88 ERA shouldn't scare you too much. It's his inconsistency that is of some concern. Will we get the Kendrick that we've seen throw 15+ straight innings of shutout ball? Or will we be stuck with 3 innings and 5 earned runs? Perhaps this is the season we can finally stop asking "What if?" about Kyle Kendrick. 

During the offseason, Wade Davis was sent from Tampa Bay to Kansas City in the James Shields-Wil Myers trade. After starting 29 games for the Rays in 2011, Davis was sent to the bullpen for 2012, where he pitched in 54 games. He was rather impressive in that role, posting just a 2.43 ERA with 87 strikeouts. This spring, Davis went 4-0 with a 1.29 ERA. Again, not incredibly important. However, the seasoned righty will probably pose a decent threat against this Phillies lineup. Mayberry, Revere, Rollins, and M. Young are a combined 4-14 (.286) with 2 K's against Davis, and are the only active Phillies with experience against him. 

Game Notes:

• Mike Schmidt and George Brett will throw out the first pitch. Both played in the 1980 World Series (Phillies vs. Royals)
• This will be just the 3rd regular season matchup between these teams since 1901. Both teams are 3-3 in those games.
• No one on the Royals squad has hit a home run this season, and nobody has more than 1 RBI. 

Phillies Lineup:

1. Ben Revere CF
2. Jimmy Rollins SS
3. Chase Utley 2B
4. Ryan Howard 1B
5. Michael Young 3B
6. Domonic Brown LF
7. Laynce Nix RF
8. Erik Kratz C
9. Kyle Kendrick P

Royals Lineup:

1. Alex Gordon LF
2. Alex Escobar SS
3. Eric Hosmer 1B
4. Mike Moustakis 3B
5. Salvador Perez C
6. Jeff Francoeur RF
7. Lorenzo Cain CF
8. Chris Getz 2B
9. Wade Davis P

Forecast: Rain clears by noon - 60° - 0% PoP.

TV: Comcast SportsNet

Radio: 94 WIP (FM); 1210 WPHT (AM)

Let's Go Phillies!

Andrew Gillen is a featured writer for Philliedelphia. Follow him on Twitter @AndrewJGillen 

Roy Halladay Leaves Early as Phillies Fall to 0-2

H/T Jeremy Fischer

After a Spring full of questioning and speculation, Roy Halladay took the mound for his first regular season start of 2013. For the Braves, Paul Maholm looked to continue his impressive Spring Training numbers.

In the first, Jimmy Rollins blooped a double to left field, but remained at second. Halladay would then take the mound and throw over 30 pitches. A Jason Heyward single, followed by Justin Upton's second homerun of the season, gave the Braves a 2-0 lead. Two walks and a single plates Freddie Freeman. 3-0 Braves.

After two singles to start the second, the Phillies failed to score. All three Braves struck out in the bottom of the inning. 

Jimmy Rollins got on base once again in the third, but could not get home. Another single and a walk went unnoticed, as Juan Francisco grounded to Ryan Howard. This ended a streak of eight straight strikeouts to start the game for Doc Halladay. 

Domonic Brown would get his third hit of the season in the fourth, and Mayberry reached on an error by 3B Juan Francisco. Back-to-back K's ended the scoring opportunity. The bottom half of the inning lasted awhile (I was able to go out, pick up dinner, and return before the start of the fifth). Evan Gattis started it off with his first major league hit, a solo homerun. 4-0 Braves. A single by Andrelton Simmons signaled the end of Halladay's game. His final line: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 9K, and the loss. Raul Valdes made his first appearance of 2013, giving up two walks, a 3-run double to Freddie Freeman, and two K's. 7-0 Braves. 

1-2-3 fifth innings for both squads. Sixth inning quiet as well, other than Antonio Bastardo replacing Valdes.

Pinch-hitter Laynce Nix and Ben Revere single to lead off the seventh inning. Following a Rollins fly out, Chase Utley popped a two-run double to right. 7-2 Braves. Ryan Howard would then strike out. Michael Young grounded a ball in front of the plate, and the throw from pitcher Luis Avilan hit him a step away from first. Chase Utley then scored from second, but everything was erased when the play was called dead on interference. The third out of the inning came on Young apparently running too far out of the baseline. Mike Adam came in for a 1-2-3 end of the seventh.

1-2-3 eighth inning for the Phillies. Jonathan Papelbon came in. After two relatively quick outs, he gave up a single to Simmons and a homerun to Heyward. 9-2 Braves. 

A quick ninth innings ends a miserable night for the Phillies. Braves win 9-2. 

Mother Nature seemed to set the mood for tonight's ball game. From the first pitch on, the rain did not let up, and neither did the Braves. They hit another three home runs in tonight's game. Obviously, 160 games remain and the season is still very young. However, the many things the Phillies needed to have go right this year have not. We will see if things change tomorrow night, as Cliff Lee will take on Kris Medlen. 

Andrew Gillen is a featured writer for Philliedelphia. Follow him on Twitter @AndrewJGillen

Cole Hamels Will Make You Buy Big League Chew Again

Photo Courtesy of Frank Klose

According to Darren Rovell of ESPN, Cole Hamels has signed on to become a cover athlete on popular chewing gum Big League Chew (you know, the stuff you haven't had since you were 12). Matt Kemp of the LA Dodgers has also been selected. The brand has had cartoon characters has the face of their product since they were first introduced in 1980 (Yay!). 

This will certainly bring a boom of business that has already been doing well since its first contract with Wrigley. Hamels and Kemp are certainly two of the top players in the league right now, and their images will certainly reel in the buyers. 

No comments have been made by either player, nor has Hamels' label been released. However, the product is set to hit shelves in June. 

Charlie Manuel Will Probably Use His First Cell Phone This Year

If you've never seen the video of Ozzie Guillen signaling for his closer, Bobby Jenks, in the 2005 playoffs, it's certainly worth a search. When issues arose with the bullpen phone, Guillen made giant circular motions with his hands to signal the big righty to the mound. Without those issues, we probably wouldn't have seen this classic moment. 

In what appears to be an attempt to appeal to a younger crowd, Major League Baseball has instituted a new policy in specific stadiums to communicate with the bullpen. T-Mobile will put cell phones in the dugouts to make the call. It has not been revealed which teams will undergo these changes, but since Philadelphia is such a popular baseball town, you have to believe the Phillies will get the new phones. 

The developers have seemingly prepared for all situations, as the phones cannot be used outside of the designated areas. Therefore, no one outside the stadium, or even the dugout, can interfere with the phones. (It also stops ejected managers from "cheating") 

New cell phone towers will be installed for multiple purposes. First off, they will be secluded so as to not allow fans to prank call Charlie in the middle of the game (because he won't have enough issues already). The tower will also clear up stadium signals, that way the calls made from the dugout to the bullpen will not be hurt by the thousands of fans using their phones during the game. If all goes well, and the new system works for Joe Torre's staff in the World Baseball Classic, the phones will be installed for the start of the new season. 

No word has been given on Charlie's ability to use a smart phone, but you can bet we'll get some interesting shots of him trying to call on Cinco Ocho. 

The Calm Before the Storm?

In Ruben We Trust. Hopefully.

Last week ended on a pretty crazy note for Phillies fans. First, Vance Worley and Trevor May were shipped to Minnesota for young center fielder Ben Revere. It gave people plenty to talk about, whether they debated the "steep price" the team paid for a center fielder or argued over Revere taking J-Roll™'s spot as the leadoff hitter. To fill their void at third base, the Phillies then went and traded Josh Lindblom and Lisalverto Bonilla to the Texas Rangers for Michael Young. Between Young's days of consideration and Revere's instant impact (sort of), fans were spoiled with rumors to interpret. 

Now, on a Monday night in the middle of December, nothing is happening. There are no tangible rumors or intriguing propositions for onlookers to discuss. Instead, we're being forced to watch as the Royals make a shocker of a trade and the Dodgers over pay Zack Greinke. Now we must go back to "What if...?" and "Maybe we should..." as Ruben Amaro leans back and laughs. But what could happen next? What are the real options left for the Phillies?

The truth is, there are many things left the team can do. The first is the hunt for a fifth starter. With the departure of Vance Worley, several names could be tossed in as free agent options to fill the role. John Lannan, Shaun Marcum, Edwin Jackson, Carlos Zambrano, Roy Oswalt, Brett Myers, and Ryan Dempster all remain unsigned. Assuming Dempster continues to demand a 3 year contract, he won't be in Philly next year. The same can be said about Zambrano, Oswalt, and Myers. Marcum and Jackson seem to be the two guys most likely to sign here. Both are coming off of lest-than-stellar years, but would fit nicely into an already well-established rotation. Personally, I would rater see Marcum on a 2 year deal, but a 1 year for Jackson wouldn't hurt either.

With the Ben Revere trade, the Phillies have a starting center fielder. That's the only sure position in the outfield. The corner spots would, as of today, be a three-way platoon with Darin Ruf, Dominic Brown, and John Mayberry Jr. That isn't to pleasing, which is why I fully expect Amaro to bring in one more corner outfielder. The top three candidates seem to be Josh Hamilton, Nick Swisher, and Cody Ross. The most power? Josh Hamilton. The best value? Nick Swisher. The other guy? Cody Ross. It just depends on how Ruben chooses to attack it. My opinion has changed since the start of the offseason. Originally, I had no desire to see Hamilton in Philly pinstripes next season. But with the moves both the Nationals and Braves have made, it would be a welcomed signing. Swisher would be my next favorite, with an intriguing combination of power and average. Ross? I'd take him, but for a lot cheer than he's asking for. Either way, I could see any of these guys in red next year.

The final possible move would probably be a veteran reliever. There are a dozen guys that could be brought in, but none of them have been closely linked to the team yet. Expect a new face in the bullpen before spring training.

Ruben Amaro is working on something. Trust me. Whether he's forcing Michael Young to coax Josh Hamilton here or concocting some enormous trade for some unheard of player, he's pulling something off. It's taking a bit longer than we all would've hoped for, but we must be patient. We are, as you know, the infamous "mystery team". 

Follow Andrew Gillen on Twitter @BigGillen48

Charlie Manuel Gives His Traditional Awkward Interview

Following in GM Ruben Amaro Jr.’s footsteps, Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel made an appearance on MLB Tonight. And I've never seen a man look more uncomfortable in a suit. As is usually the case, the interview, led by Greg Amsinger, Dan Plesac, and Tom Verducci, was somewhat painful to watch. You can’t help but squirm at the obviously uncomfortable Charlie Manuel trying to get his point across. We know he knows what he’s trying to say, but he just can’t get it out. But that’s why we love Chalie. That, and he brought us that World Series championship a few years back. Anyway, here is some of what Charlie had to say.

• He begins by noting that he gets sent home early from the Winter Meetings because he has seniority. Sure Charlie, that’s why.
• In reference to the team losing their “swagger” this season, Charlie says there are a few things that make him believe the team will get it back. His list included: Chase Utley playing 82 of 85 games, Ryan Howard still knocking runs in, Jonathan Papelbon pitching well out of the bullpen, young relievers getting some experience, Kevin Frandsen playing well, and Freddy Galvis’ tremendous defense (also his lack of offense).
• For Manuel, defense seems to be one of the team’s biggest needs. He tells Plesac that the team needs to return to the solid defensive team they were before. He also notes that the baserunning must improve. While getting a veteran 8^th inning guy is high on Charlie’s list, his top priority remains a center fielder. He goes on to say that if the team does not bring in Michael Bourn or Josh Hamilton, they must acquire a corner outfielder.
• As far as 3^rd base is concerned, Manuel likes what he saw out of Kevin Frandsen, but is not sure if he would be able to hold up over a 500 at-bat season.
• The topic of the bullpen comes up, and Manuel first brings up Phillipe Aumont. He says he likes Aumont’s big and strong stature, but is concerned with his inconsistency. He also mentions his crisp slider and believes he’ll pitch for a long time. Apparently, Rich Dubee has given much praise on Justin DeFratus, and Manuel says he likes his potential. I was puzzled when Manuel said he was happy with B.J. Rosenburg’s tenure with the club. I didn’t see anything to like, but that’s just me. Overall, Manuel says the bullpen just needs experience, and will soon be formidable. However, Charlie does take a step toward throwing Antonio Bastardo under the bus, noting his inconsistency, and going on to say he would not put Bastardo in a game against names like Braun, Hart, and Ramirez all in a row. Yeesh.
• When asked about Roy Halladay’s disappointing season, Charlie says he believes Halladay will come back as good, if not better, as he was before. He also throws into the conversation that Utley will play into a new contract with the team. Uhh…
• In Carlos Ruiz’ situation, Manuel is a firm believer in MLB’s drug policy and stands behind the suspension. While Charlie knows the team is losing a frontline player, he believes Erik Kratz will be able to play well in Chooch’s absence.
• Manuel was also asked about the division itself. He says Washington’s pitching is very good, but believes Utley, Howard, and Rollins will be able to handle it. Atlanta is certainly improving, and Manuel tells a story about B.J. Upton. On a golf outing earlier in the offseason, the two spoke, and Manuel liked what he heard. My favorite part was when he said Upton was easy to communicate with, stumbling while saying the word “communicate”.
• Finally, Charlie says that this team centers around Ryan Howard. That is why they refer to him as The Big Piece. He believes the team will improve this offseason, perhaps not at the meetings, but soon.

As you can see, Manuel gave up much more than Amaro did. That’s not surprising, considering Charlie likes to babble, and also doesn’t understand when he’s not being included. Anyway, I think Charlie made some pretty interesting points, mainly on Aumont and Utley. But talk really is cheap in baseball. I’m just hoping to see Charlie return to the World Series caliber manager he can be.

Follow Andrew Gillen on Twitter @BigGillen48

Ruben Amaro Appears on MLB Tonight

In the midst of Cliff Lee trade rumors and Shane Victorino signings, Ruben Amaro took a break from what I assume to have been a long hibernation to speak with Brian Kenny, Dan Plesac, and Tom Verducci on MLB Tonight. It was a rather quick interview, but he did make a couple of interesting statements.

• On the Cliff Lee - Justin Upton trade, Ruben said the rumors are "absolutely false".
• Amaro mentioned that Chase Utley feels good, is fielding ground balls, and fully expects to be ready by Spring Training. He also says something interesting about the idea of moving Utley to third base, noting that Chase actually approached him about the move. Chase wanted to be out of Galvis' way upon his return.
• Ideally, Ruben is looking for an everyday centerfielder, as well as a left hander to platoon with John Mayberry Jr. in left field. He also mentions his interest in bringing in a veteran 8th inning guy, although he mentions his belief that Bastardo is still a viable candidate for that role.
• Regarding the Shane Victorino signing, Amaro says he spoke to both Shane and his agent, but the money was not right for the team. He also described the difficulty he had trading Victorino before the trade deadline.
• When asked about Carlos Ruiz, Ruben said Chooch actually called him to discuss the suspension. Amaro notes that Carlos was very emotional, and that Erik Kratz will get an opportunity to begin the seaosn as the team's catcher.
• In closing, Amaro stated that there is no way he could trade either Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, or Cole Hamels and still expect th team to be championship contenders. He fully expects this team to be productive. 

It's interesting to note that there was no discussion about what would be done at third base this season.

Normally, you would have to take Ruben Amaro's comments with a grain of salt. But I believe a majority of what he's saying. Any trade he makes would certainly include some prospects, and not any of the aces. Let's just hope he makes good on his quest for a center fielder and late-inning reliever.

Follow Andrew Gillen on Twitter @BigGillen48