"Nothing would've been better than to go down Yonge St.," Stairs said, "celebrating with the guys I became really close with over the last year and a half. To me, the greatest city in the world is Toronto and I'm not saying that because I played there or because I'm Canadian. It's a city I've always loved."
Stairs is awesome, I hope he does well for Philly.
Oh Stairs definitely sucked, but it's not his fault the team tried to replace Frank Thomas with him for the entire season.
Just taking a full look at Snider's numbers during the 2008 season (A, AA, AAA levels)...he really doesn't appear to be ready enough to be making this kind of jump. I really hope JP knows what he's doing.
JP's not done a lot of smart things, but getting rid of Thomas was one of them
Of course he did sign him in the first place.
Question: Since he was called up now, the rest of the season counts as his service time? But if he was called up after rosters expanded, as a september call up, it would not have?
Really, I see no problem with having him up in the Majors to get acclimatized to the scene and spend sometime with Cito and Lind. The Sky Chiefs are finished soon if I am not mistaken. So I do not see how him soaking up the Major League experience is any worse than him soaking up sun somewhere.
Also, as a business decision, I for one am a lot more likely to go watch a game now!... If I knew that he would be playing that is.
Derek Lowe will definately be affordable to us given the other pitchers on the market, I'd only be chasing him if we spend 10 million+ on a big bat of some sort.
If Snider sticks (I doubt it, but its possible), then we can blow our wad on a SS and a pitcher. Personally I've always liked Ben Sheets and think we should take a run at him. Of course it'd be on the assumption that he's only going to give us about 22 starts, but they'd be mostly quality ones.
As for Snider, I still think its early. He should have stayed at AAA until this time next year. Let his OPS come back up over .900 and cut the strikeouts down. We do risk setting him back, and we have started his clock for now apparent reason IMO. That said, its entirely possible that he hits major league pitching just like he did in the minors- at which point... Hello DH.
Also, this is an organization that doesn't hand out huge signing bonuses to its prospects- we look for signability. An underrated part of this move is that it'll show top prospects that they can get to the majors quickly under our watch. As a high schooler Snider signed almost immediately, got a half season under his belt before many of his peers ever swung a minor league bat. He is aggressively promoted based on his performance and hits the majors at 20. That might increase "signability" of the next 18 year old kid we have to negotiate with.
I'm still against this move (and it reeks of JP trying to point out that he's got the ship moving forward), but I can't deny that, if its successful and Snider sticks, it could have a real positive impact on this team in a number of areas.
I'm torn on the Snider promotion. Having seen him play several times this year, I'm excited to see what he can do in this brief time. However I do believe the advantages outweigh the drawbacks. Considering the kid has had 3 or 4 very close friends and relatives pass away within the past 2 years, I highly doubt going hitless in the majors over the 50 or so AB's he's likely to get here is going to demoralize him! That being said, whatever flaws that may occur during the month are going to be addressed with him by Cito, Gene, et al and then worked on by him in the AFL. So my thought is, 'Why Not?'
On a lighter note, if I told you back on Opening Day that by the end of August:
How excited would you be? Wouldn't you think that it'd be a virtual lock that the team holding down first would be the Jays? Sure sums up the 2008 season huh...
Good points John... Time will tell if he can stick, but even if he doesn't stick until this time next year he'll still only be 21.
Cito's certainly spoke like a man who will give Snider plenty of playing time- so at the very least we won't be left doubting whether or not he's ready going into next season.
I've always liked Ben Sheets and think we should take a run at him. Of course it'd be on the assumption that he's only going to give us about 22 starts, but they'd be mostly quality ones.
Sheets has only made less than 24 starts in a seeason once in his eight-year career and he's already crossed that plateau this year in August. Not sure why health would be a concern. But I wouldn't get hopes up -- the Yanks, Sawx or Dodgers (or someone) is going to throw $18M at Sheets and he'll be the biggest signing of the offseason.
John Northey, on your comment about 21-year-olds and the HOF -- bang on right. I haven't done an all-age-21 Hall of Names team yet, but we did do one for Age 19 and no less than 11 of the 25 on the roster are enshrined (or will be shortly).
I think that JP will look to bring in a OF/DH type slugging bat this offseason. If Snider rakes this month, I think he'll focus on a right-handed bat to take AB's away from Snider, Lind and Overbay. If Snider struggles, JP may not show any preference to the handedness of the acquisition. I think that's the only manner in which Snider's performance may affect offseason plans.
On an aside, I'd really like to see David Smith up here next month. As far as older prospects that profile as good defensive fourth outfielders go, I much prefer Smith (27) to Coats (26). Coats has the unfortunate advantage of a spot on the 40-man roster, but Smiths going to need a spot by December anyway.
JP and McCain are doing the same thing.
JP sees Tampa beating us 2 of 3 sees our mostly non-existant chance to even catch the Yanks slowly going down the toilet and in desperation he brings up Snider. Snider is GOING TO BE a star. No question. Snider is GOING TO HIT 40 to 50 homers a year. BUT - Snider is still a kid. We're going to be using some of his PRECIOUS 6 year time clock so JP can get a few extra fans in seats to save his job. By the time Snider is 26 or 27 and goes to the Yanks - JP won't care - he'll be working for Beane as his bat boy. At 28 -29 Snider will be an MVP candidate both years!
McCain is doing the same thing. After seeing a juggernaught launched at Denver last night, knowing he is going to be eaten alive he picks Sarah Palin the Gov of Alaska. A real cute sweety who says every night "There's no place like Nome." Alaska is VERY convervative, she is the DARLING of the Alaskan Repubs. However, the senior Gov for Alaska Ted Stevens is being investigated for corruption going back years. Big corruption. He'll go down. Sarah is a LAUGHING stock because she had the Police Commissioner FIRED because he wouldn't fire a Cop that gave her a ticket. She is a joke.
Bringing up Snider is a PLOY to get away from JP's failures. Nominating Sarah is a PLOY to desperately try and find a way to avoid a speeding train. Neither move is reasonable, both moves stink to the heavens.
Good grief Charley Brown!
the Yanks, Sawx or Dodgers (or someone) is going to throw $18M at Sheets and he'll be the biggest signing of the offseason.
I know it's nitpicking, but with Sabathia, Teixeira and likely Manny Ramirez on the market, Ben Sheets probably isn't one of the 3 biggest signings of the offseason.
Just read the Yankee's article. Wouldn't that be considered tampering?
As for the (far from free) Free agents, I'd take Manny if he would DH. We need a scary bat, RH helps, even if he is a headcase.
A poster on philliesnation.com says Fabio Castro is the most likely prospect headed to the Jays. A 5'-8" lefty reliever, although found a decent write up on him from when he was selected in the rule V draft: (source: http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2005/12/rule_5_draft_re_1.php)
"In Castro, the Rangers landed someone who best fits in the Buddy Hernandez Group. It would be a waste to limit Castro to left-handed pitching, but he likely does not have the stuff or endurance to belong in Johan Santana category. So, Fabio should end up pitching in middle relief for the Rangers, where pitching from the left side will only help. What's interesting is that I've heard conflicting reports on Castro's stuff. What's confirmed is a low-90s fastball with good movement that is his bread and butter.
What's debated, and will determine whether Castro returns to the World Champs or not, is the secondary offerings that Castro possesses. Baseball America noted in their Rule 5 review that Castro had a good changeup. What they didn't mention, however, was the fantastic curveball that futuresox.com noted before the 2005 season. If Castro has both pitches in his arsenal, he should last on a Major League roster. If not, it's more of a stretch.
Chance of Lasting: 40%. His strikeout numbers weren't great in high-A, and some high home run numbers won't improve in Dallas. He will likely have to beat out Erasmo Ramirez in Spring Training before even talking about his Major League stats. Not especially likely, but the Rangers certainly saw something here."
http://www.philliesnation.com/archives/2008/08/phillies-acquire-matt-stairs
I'm just passing this along, don't shoot me if I'm wrong.
I checked the OCR site, they are only speculating because it looks like a fit.
Here are Castro's minor league stats for the last two years:
He played in Ottawa last year. Maybe a Bauxite has seen him. Looks like Davis Romero with better stuff but less control? Doesn't seem that bad a pickup for Stairs.
JP likes his left hander pitchers doesn't he?
I realize that the PTBNL may not be Castro but if it is, I have to ask why trade Stairs? Left handed relivers we got come out our ears - Carlson, Tallet, Downs, Ryan, etc.... Matt's contract wasn't onerous, so why make the trade? Better to have Matt on the bench than Wilkerson or Mench (yes, I realize that one's in AAA and the other is DL'd) and maybe pick up an at bat for JMac or whomever late in games.
I guess I don't understand what purpose the trade of Matt serves.
I would have bet that the PTBNL was some sort of hitting prospect (perhaps not necessarily a good one). That's an area which obviously needs addressing.
First off, I don't see what releasing Thomas had to do with Stairs' performance. The guy's old and in decline.
Second, as bad as Stairs has been Thomas has been worse. HIs line since the break looks like this .197/.307/.241. He's also closing in on the pa's that would have vested his option and if he were here that would be the focus. JP's not done a lot of smart things, but getting rid of Thomas was one of them.
You didn't understand my point at all.
If Stairs wasn't thrown into a full-time role as he was, his decline wouldn't have been as glaring as he would have only been a part-time player. The team would have been much better off had they actually replaced Thomas with somebody better outside the organization at first, while moving Lind into LF.
As for Thomas, well he's seemingly going through his early season stage all over again. I don't think he's nearly as bad as many think he is, though. He's got a .750 OPS in Oakland, and with tonight's 2-4, he's now 9 for his last 21, and finally could be heading back in the right direction.
