7/27-7/29 Matchup vs Atlanta Could Decide Fate of This Team

[Ben Grimm]

This very well could be it. The Phils are sitting at 9 games out of the 2nd WC spot (actually might be 9.5 since the two leading teams have a game in hand) heading into this series against the Braves.

This matchup could very well put the Phillies into a buy or sell mode. IF all goes well and the Phillies sweep, they could close the gap and be within 6 games of the WC. Then again, it also depends on what the teams at the top do.

Pittsburgh faces a depleted and lethargic Houston team who the Pirates have beaten seven of the eight games they've playd so far. St Louis heads into Chicago and won't be facing Garza or Dempster. I can see both Pittsburgh and St Louis going at least 2-1. If that does happen, then even a Philies sweep only makes up one game in the standings. And if they lose any, they could easily fall the other direction.

This is what happens when you put yourself into a hole. It becomes so hard to make up ground because so many teams are ahead of you. I think the fate of guys like Victorino, Pence, etc will be decided with the Phils first loss - assuming they will lose one to the Braves.

[Ben Grimm]

And the first shoe drops. This loss should get Ruben on the phone and setting up scenarios. Not much more than that maybe, but something to get the ball rolling.

[philliesfiend55]

Ruben Amaro Jr. insisted at the team's ALS event on Thursday, 7/26 that none of his starting pitchers would be traded by the deadline. That means there is an 80% chance that one of the guys currently in the starting rotation will have a new address by July 31.
Ruben has become a master at deceiving the media and opposition teams with misleading statements regarding player personnel decisions. That kind of subterfuge has almost become part of any professional sports team general manager's job description. He seems to be copying Yankees GM Brian Cashman who just a day or two after saying he liked the way the Yankees were set up for 2012 pulled off two moves within an hour of each other this January acquiring P - Hiroki Kuroda as a free agent and trading C/DH - Jesus Montero for P- Michael Pineda. (Okay Pineda got hurt and played no part in the Yankees 2012 success, but it's still a great move for the long run).

[Ben Grimm]

Yep. That's how Ruben rolls. Most of his moves come with little or no warning - be it via trade or FA signing. He slips around in full stealth mode holding his checkbook.

And though the Pineda deal hasn't worked out yet, I liked it (and still do) long-term for NY.

[philliesfiend55]

Dare I add that Rube's reminds me of some spys, traitors and petty criminals from old '30s & '40s black and white movies. He's kind of Peter Lorre-ish. Or perhaps a modern day comparsion would be with Kevin Spacey in "The Usual Suspects" (all he needs for the Spacey comparison to ring completely true is that he needs a Mr. Kobayashi - the late Pete Postlethwaite - as a subservient accomplice). Around Trade deadline time and during The Winter Meetings Rube's mode is: Tell a whopper of a fib, just make it sound realistic, and he's almost always saying one thing, but meaning anothe,r or like the James Brown song, "Talking Loud, But Saying Nothing".

[Ben Grimm]

Ruben Amaro Jr is Keyser Soze.

[Ben Grimm]

And 4 hits vs a pitcher with a 5.5 ERA heading into today's game. Nice going guys.

Back to back losses - about to be 15 out of the division and 12 out of the WC... time to do something Ruben. No more sitting back and letting it happen. Hold some of these gazillionaires accountable for something and let them know the tolerance level has been established. Nobody on this team is playing right now.

[Ben Grimm]

Ruben: Immediately mass-email a vid of Vic's HR today to all 29 GMs.

[philliesfiend55]

Ruben Amaro Jr is Keyser Soze.

You Got It! : Rube's an equally deceiving, but less malevolent Keyser Soze.

[Ben Grimm]

Brutal brutal brutal series. So much for the hope that having the full lineup back would provide some offense.

How do I sum it up? Over these three games, the Phils had more errors (5) than runs scored (4). Lost the last six vs Atlanta while being outscored 29-10.