As we all know pitching is the key for success in winning a ball game and the Phillies have had it in the past. For the past 2 years the Phillies have made it to the World Series back to back years. Besides them having one of the most powerful line ups in baseball the pitching is what has got them to both the 2008 and the 2009 World Series appearances. The 2010 rotation is going to be a question for some and not a problem for others. The number one questions that are going to be asked come opening day in D.C. just 67 days away is... will Cole Hamels have a bounce back year? Was it a mistake to get rid of Cliff Lee? How will Roy Halladay fair off in the National League? Who will be their number 5 starter Kyle Kendrick or Jamie Moyer? Also how good will the Phillies bull pen be this year after the nightmare they had last year? With Lidge being hurt, Madson not being on top of his game, and J.C. Romero being hurt as well the pen wasn’t as strong as they once were. Remember in 2008 the bull pen is what won us a World Series and in 2009 Cliff Lee is what got us to the World Series.
1. The Cole Hamels issue is what I think will help us get back to the World Series only because he's our number 2 starter and we need him to be the pitcher he once was and feed off of Roy Halladay. This is all folds on Hamels, if he has a good year with about 15 wins the Phillies will have themselves another World Series title and if he doesn't well things are just going to get a little bit harder and more questions will be asked. With Blanton who just signed a three-year contract worth 24 million and making 8 million per year and the young J.A. Happ behind him he should have no problem. Hamels is playing with one the best teams and best line ups in baseball, but it’s known in the past that when Hamels pitches he doesn't get much run support witch needs to turn around for him this year.
2. Getting rid of Cliff Lee might be a mistake, I only say this because will still have no idea how good Cole Hamels will be this year. Lee was your go to guy last year and he was what we needed at the time and I think we should have held on to him but then again we probably wouldn't have gotten Halladay. But there was more ways of keeping Lee and adding Halladay. The Royals were very interested in Joe Blanton and wanted to take him off our hands but the problem with that was the Royals had no prospects we wanted. So there for Lee went and Halladay came. I still think we should have worked out a deal but the old saying is - Should of, Could of, Would of but it just didn't happen.
3. Halladay in the National League just scares me thinking about it makes me nervous. But it doesn't matter to me because he’s on my team! I think Halladay playing with Phillies and in the National League will fear teams in the NL only because he knows how to pitch and with this team he is almost likely to have a “W” in each start and at least 20-25 wins this year with an ERA of 2.19. So I think Halladay in the NL will be great..... if you’re a Phillies fan that is.
4. Who will be the Phillies number 5 starter come opening day? That's the biggest question of all. With no more Pedro who will fill his spot? Will it be the young Kyle Kendrick who had a pretty good year at the end of last season or will it be the old Jamie Moyer who has been around this game for very very long time? To be honest I really can't tell you who is better. Kendrick yeah he did good last year but he didn't play a full season and has a lot to prove and we still don't know if he's ready. Moyer on the other hand who knows how to pitch and has what it takes to be a starter will he be healthy enough to play a full 162 game season? If you were to ask me I think the Phillies should have gone after Ben Sheets who the A's just signed for 1 year, $8 million. I say this because Ben Sheets is a great pitcher and yes he has had a few problems over the years but being in a rotation with Halladay, Blanton, Hamels and so for could only help him. But we know the Phillies aren't like the Yankees who just buy their team, they like to build upon their team. In the past it has helped them, so will just have to find out what will happen.
5. Will the bull pen be as good as it once was? Considering last year’s nightmare that’s another question I can't answer. With Lidge who was hurt from the start, to Madson not being the same pitcher he was in 2008, to Romero being hurt and not 100%. But people wonder will Lidge be that closer who helped win us a World Series in 2008 or will he be that same bum he was in 2009 that blew 11 blown saves and had an ERA of 7.21? Something to look into in 2010 and that's what the Phillies need to get in line. Madson on the other hand wasn't that good either being a pitcher who would give people the chills when he came in who also did a half way decent job and would have his on and off days. With 6 blown save in his book didn't make him the closer or the set up guy we needed with a 3.26 ERA. Between Lidge and Madson they combine 17 blown save not to mansion other pitchers who had blown saves as well. Then there's J.C. Romero who for the first 50 game was suspended for using steroids and being hurt for most of the year is very questionable how good he will be in 2010. Romero finished the season off with a 2.70 ERA.
So there it is how good will the Phillies 2010 pitching rotation and bull pen will be? I think the Phillies will again win the NL East Division, win the NL Championship Series, and win the World Series? I don't know, I guess will find out next October.
This is Beyond a questionable pitching staff, this is Beyond Baseball.
2010 Philadelphia Phillies Pitching Rotation at the moment.
1. Roy Halladay - 2009
ERA-2.79
W-17
L-10
SO-208
2. Cole Hamels - 2009
ERA-4.32
W-10
L-11
SO-168
3. Joe Blanton - 2009
ERA-4.05
W-12
L-8
SO-163
4. J.A. Happ - 2009
ERA-2.93
W-12
L-4
SO-119
5. Kyle Kendrick - 2009
ERA-3.42
W-3
L-1
SO-15
5. Jamie Moyer - 2009
ERA-4.94
W-12
L-10
SO-94
BEYOND BASEBALL - Where you live, read, and die baseball.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Big "M" admits of Using Steroids
Well this issue comes to no surprise on January 11, 2010 around 3:00 p.m. Monday afternoon Mark McGwire came out and told the press and Congress that he used steroids during his career with both the Oakland A's during the late 1980's and the St. Louis Cardinals during the mid and late 1990's. In 1998 Mark McGwire broke one of the biggest baseball records of all time. The single season home run record, that Babe Ruth set back in 1927 by hitting 60 home runs in one season. In 1961 Roger Maris broke that record by hitting 61 home runs and from then on, no other player had came close to breaking this record. In 1998 Mark McGwire and Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa were in a home run chase to see who would break the record first. The year before McGwire came oh so close by hitting 58 home runs, and people asked how can this really be done? McGwire did in fact break one the hardest records of all time by hitting 70 home runs and so did Sammy Sosa later by hitting 66 home runs in 1998. McGwire would indeed become the new home run king in till Barry Bonds made a name for himself in baseball as one the most feared power hitters in the game. In 2003 Bonds would break and pass McGwire's record by hitting 73 home runs and set the all time single season home run record.
In 2005 Jose Canseco and other major league baseball players were on a list of using steroids back in the late 80's and 90's. McGwire was one of them and said "that he didn't want to talk about the past and would just like to move on". He said this in front of Congress. It has been 5 years later that McGwire has came out and admitted of using steroids during his playing days. "It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize" said McGwire. "The power I have was given to me by God and that steroids did not help me play better. It helped me to recover from injures that I had" said McGwire in a interview with Bob Coasts on MLB Network. McGwire used steroids through 1989 till 2001 and said if he could do it all over again he would never had taken them. In 1998 when he broke the record people all over the United States said that McGwire is one the best players to play the game and he is my role model. Now after hearing this, what do you say about the man? He's a cheater, a liar; he doesn't belong to ever step on a baseball diamond ever again? No really knows what should happen, I guess just move on? McGwire finished his career with 583 home runs that now people question should that really stand? Should his 70 home runs really stand? Should Sosa's 66 home runs really stand? Should Bond's 73 really stand if all these players were taking steroids? Should they bring back Maris *61 home runs back in check? It‘s something that no one really knows.
Over the years and this past baseball season a lot players have been caught using steroids in major league baseball. Manny Ramirez from the Los Angeles Dodgers who used them in 2003 and 2009, Alex Rodriguez from the New York Yankees who used them in 2003 and J.C. Romero from the Philadelphia Phillies who used them in 2008 were all caught for testing positive of using steroids this past season. But there are so many more names on the list. There is over 102-103 people on the list. It's just something that has ruined the game of baseball.
If you were to ask me "I would say get rid of ever one of his home runs and he shouldn't be allowed to ever walk on a baseball field again". That goes for any player for using steroids. All their stats, numbers, records whatever should be thrown away. If you can cheat in a game they say they "love" than why not throw their stats away that aren't real? Isn't that what happens when you get caught cheating on a test, doesn't the teachers usually throw it away or don't you get an F on the test for cheating? It's a cheat for other teams, the players, the fans who pay to come out to see their favorite players play game the right way and then find out they took steroids just isn't fair to love of the game and the fans. Answer me this, if one of the all time best baseball players Pete Rose can't even be in rolled in the baseball Hall of Fame or ever step on a major league baseball field ever again for betting on the game as a coach that happen years ago shouldn't be allowed to ever be part of the game again than why should McGwire? The man cheated in baseball, he cheated in the game, all because he said he was sorry? Pete Rose has gone out there and been on T/V and said he was sorry a million times and no one cares about what he did on the field just what he did off the field. Probably one of the best players of all time, yeah he made a mistake but it's not like he cheated or bet during his Major League baseball career. McGwire this year will become the Cardinals new batting coach and help them get to a World Series. I still think he shouldn't be allowed in this game ever again and the number *61 should stand forever in baseball and that Pete Rose should to reinstated back into the game of baseball. If McGwire can get away for cheating in the game than the Major League Baseball Committee is wrong for holding Pete Rose out of them game.
This Beyond steroids, this is Beyond Baseball.
In 2005 Jose Canseco and other major league baseball players were on a list of using steroids back in the late 80's and 90's. McGwire was one of them and said "that he didn't want to talk about the past and would just like to move on". He said this in front of Congress. It has been 5 years later that McGwire has came out and admitted of using steroids during his playing days. "It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize" said McGwire. "The power I have was given to me by God and that steroids did not help me play better. It helped me to recover from injures that I had" said McGwire in a interview with Bob Coasts on MLB Network. McGwire used steroids through 1989 till 2001 and said if he could do it all over again he would never had taken them. In 1998 when he broke the record people all over the United States said that McGwire is one the best players to play the game and he is my role model. Now after hearing this, what do you say about the man? He's a cheater, a liar; he doesn't belong to ever step on a baseball diamond ever again? No really knows what should happen, I guess just move on? McGwire finished his career with 583 home runs that now people question should that really stand? Should his 70 home runs really stand? Should Sosa's 66 home runs really stand? Should Bond's 73 really stand if all these players were taking steroids? Should they bring back Maris *61 home runs back in check? It‘s something that no one really knows.
Over the years and this past baseball season a lot players have been caught using steroids in major league baseball. Manny Ramirez from the Los Angeles Dodgers who used them in 2003 and 2009, Alex Rodriguez from the New York Yankees who used them in 2003 and J.C. Romero from the Philadelphia Phillies who used them in 2008 were all caught for testing positive of using steroids this past season. But there are so many more names on the list. There is over 102-103 people on the list. It's just something that has ruined the game of baseball.
If you were to ask me "I would say get rid of ever one of his home runs and he shouldn't be allowed to ever walk on a baseball field again". That goes for any player for using steroids. All their stats, numbers, records whatever should be thrown away. If you can cheat in a game they say they "love" than why not throw their stats away that aren't real? Isn't that what happens when you get caught cheating on a test, doesn't the teachers usually throw it away or don't you get an F on the test for cheating? It's a cheat for other teams, the players, the fans who pay to come out to see their favorite players play game the right way and then find out they took steroids just isn't fair to love of the game and the fans. Answer me this, if one of the all time best baseball players Pete Rose can't even be in rolled in the baseball Hall of Fame or ever step on a major league baseball field ever again for betting on the game as a coach that happen years ago shouldn't be allowed to ever be part of the game again than why should McGwire? The man cheated in baseball, he cheated in the game, all because he said he was sorry? Pete Rose has gone out there and been on T/V and said he was sorry a million times and no one cares about what he did on the field just what he did off the field. Probably one of the best players of all time, yeah he made a mistake but it's not like he cheated or bet during his Major League baseball career. McGwire this year will become the Cardinals new batting coach and help them get to a World Series. I still think he shouldn't be allowed in this game ever again and the number *61 should stand forever in baseball and that Pete Rose should to reinstated back into the game of baseball. If McGwire can get away for cheating in the game than the Major League Baseball Committee is wrong for holding Pete Rose out of them game.
This Beyond steroids, this is Beyond Baseball.
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