The Zo Zone

I think chiropractors are quacks, but if it keeps Hamels healthy then I'm all for it.

I broke down the NL East bullpens on my site today (http://pabaseball.blogspot.com), and I'm afraid to say I think the Mets have the best bullpen accompanied by the best rotation which means the best pitching staff...yuck.

Glad to hear Gordon is feeling good, we absolutely need him healthy and effective if we plan on defending our title.

Relief Pitching is so unpredictable, you never know how these guys will perform. Look at J.C. Romero, he was out of baseball then hooks up with the Phils and lands a 3yr/$12m contract. The pressure is on Billy Wagner this season. Here is a guy with way too much to say and was leaking oil big time last season. Imagine him blowing a couple of games early in the season, the Mets fans will be all over this guy. Closers should be seen and not heard, get the 3 outs they pay you millions for and keep your mouth shut. Wags could be "lights-out", but he can implode just as easily. It's great that the baseball juices are flowing again in Philly, game on!!

Pitching staffs, on paper, before the season starts? The Phillies had a great one last year.
I wonder how Arizona and Colorado's staffs looked on paper before last year started?

I'm so glad baseball season is back again. I've been reduced to following the current story in the news about the New York team that started the season with a seemingly insurmountable lead, but has found itself falling short in the later part of the season to a sparky competitor that refuses to give up. Strangely, the New York team can still somehow survive to get to the playoffs if they can just manage not to lose the last few contests.

Has anyone compared the health care plans of the Phillies and the Mets?

Hey, the best pitchers often have some odd quirks and pecadillos that we need to allow for. (Can you say 'Steve Carlton'?) I say if Hamels wants an accupuncurist, an herbalist, heck, a pedicurist... get it for him!

Getting very excited for this season. Also very pleased to see Ryan reporting early for camp, that guy is all class.

Another Joe, I read that story too, it was called
"Comfortable Lead, 7 up, 17 to play."
I liked the ending.

So Hamels wants a chiropractor? Give it to him, if it makes him feel like he can pitch better, he will. If you've never been to a chiropractor, try it once. I did and came out feeling about 15 years younger physically.

Can you believe Rowand is getting $12 million a year, and Pedro Feliz is going to put up better numbers and the Phils are getting him for $4.25 million a year...and aren't committed for 5 or 6 years.

Loved having Rowand here, but had the Phils given him that many years, he would be booed in a few years ala Liberthal and Bell when they couldn't play.

Original Joe, Anna Benson has the same effect, you will feel 15 years younger! Speaking of Anna, will she become the most controversial Philly sports figure ever? How about Anna replacing "Wheels" in the booth? As far as Rowand/Feliz, Feliz will never hit .300, he is a free-swinger. The Phillies were fortunate to move Victorino (a defensive upgrade) to CF, and use the money on Feliz and Jenkins. Gillick had his best off-season with the Phils, he addresed several needs with proven players who are "good guys" in the clubhouse. Jenkins, Feliz, Taguchi, and Lidge will fit in very nicely.

Rowand sold out and took the most money he could get, from probaly the worst team in the MLB not in south florida. I like Victorino's glove, wheels, and arm cannon in center. It is also not out of the question to imagine the platoon of Jenkins and Werth can put up numbers comparable to what Rowand will put up this year. I want to thank Aaron Rowand for a career year. Your time Philly was great, and there is no denying what you ment to this team the past 2 seasons. However, he is not worth the money SF gave him. My seats are in center field and I am looking forward to watching the flyin hawiian cover 2/3s of the outfield in '08.

I just hope Cole's boo boo's don't have him miss any games this year. Evidently he is used to being coddled. He needs to focus upon getting himself conditioned to pitch at a high level consistently. All this stuff about chiropractors, massage therapists, accupuncturists, hair dressers, manicurists, caracaturists, chiropodists and p*nis machinists is a distraction from the task at hand.

I hope Cole doesn't become a big flop because of this.

People keep talking about Rowand's "clubhouse presence" and how it will be missed. Thats the one thing that doesn't show up in the statistics so I'm still wondering about that. Obviously, Gillick didn't think he added 60 mil in clubhouse presence so it's gone. If you ignore clubhouse presence, and judge Gillick's moves solely on budget and statistics, he's done well. But if you really need to hammer him, talk about clubhouse presence. Can you really put a team together based on it? Imagine how you'd get blasted in the blogs if you said, "we signed him for his clubhouse presence". You'd get crucified.

How do you quantify it? If you could put together a clubhouse presence team, who'd be on it?

Joe, don't be stupid! Putting a team is folly. The factsa are Rowand will be missed around here. The poster boy Utley has the personality of Greg Gross.
Look for Roy Hobbs(I mean Coste) to step up and fill the void.

Stupid?

Truth, as always insulting the person he doesn't agree with. How ironic that you call the Phillies, "classless".

The facts are that Rowand will be missed?
If you mean his personality, yes, he has Philadelphia written all over him. But numbers wise, Gillick spent the money it would have taken to keep him much better. I don't think anyone would argue that without bringing up the unquantifiable....."clubhouse presence".

Truth, what is it with you and Utley?????

True, Chase is "shy". He has admitted that on more than one occasion and that he really doesn't like talking to the press. That's just his personality. Don't crucify him for it. I would be extremly surprised if he just sits back in a corner during team meetings. I know for a fact, that on more than one occasion, he has *called* team meetings.

And who know what goes on in the clubhouse before and after the games, anyway. All we get to see is the 10 minutes the press is allowed in.

Granted, the press loved Rowand because he would "tell it like it is". But I'm sure Jimmy, Chase, Ryan, even Jamie Moyer could step up to the plate (no pun intended) and be a strong clubhouse presence.

Also, as Charlie said, players like Chase & Jamie "lead by example". In my humble opinion, that's the best kind of leader.

" Anna Benson has the same effect, you will feel 15 years younger! Speaking of Anna, will she become the most controversial Philly sports figure ever? How about Anna replacing "Wheels" in the booth?"

I confess........I know NOTHING about Ann Benson. I guess since I'm probably the only female who posts here regularly. LOL!

Guess I better "google" her so I know what you guys are talking about!

And as for Hamels getting his chiropractor?

Anything to help the team!

However.......After that episode last year, I began labeling Cole as a bit of a "diva". A GREAT pitcher! But a Diva!

Norma, I'm in complete agreement w/you. One of my gripes about the fans are that they give Hamels a free ride. His refusal to pitch a potential game four vs the Rockies was not of the Philadelphia spirit. Albeit, he has proven himself to be a good pitcher he does not deserve the coronation that he has received.
His divaesque display last season was pathetic and to be honest I think we have another Steve Carlton here. Great pitcher but a complete headcase.....

Just googled Anna Benson......Now I get it! LOL!

I don't believe that Hamels "refused" to pitch in a playoff game against the Rockies. Rather, he made the statement (paraphrased), that he'd "rather not" pitch out of rotation because he's very set in his method of preparation. That's understandable, as most of us have no clue what it takes for a big league pitcher, especially one who's a cut above the rest, to prepare for a game, physically or mentally.

The real mistake he made was saying it out loud. I suspect we'll hear less of those comments from him in the future, which will inevitably lead to charges that "he's aloof."

Just let the players play and judge them by what they do on the field.

For the last time, the clubhouse will be just fine!!!!!!! Rowand didnt make that much of a difference when it mattered in October did he???? He's gone, they'll be fine!!!!!!

AMEN, clinton,nj!!!!

chiropractors should be a part of mainstream medicine. They have been around for thousands of years. The only reason it isn't accepted is because big business has put those ideas in our heads to make us think its weird. please i am sure the fact that you see big novacare signs and motrin ads in the ball feild make a diffrence. most chiros would do the service for free for the publicity....its all politics