I apparently missed some interestingand odddiscussions while I was marinating my brain in beer down in Mexico. It was a nice time. Made me contemplate asking for a transfer to CSNCabo.com. (I actually wrote that joke on Twitter a few days ago. This is whats become of my career: shamelessly plagiarizing my own material.)
While I was away, the e-mails and tweets piled up, and the rest of the local media kept doing its thingpumping out stories and columns and radio shows on a variety of topics. These, then, are some of the Phillies questions that were evidently asked while I was awayeither asked directly to me by fans and friends or bandied about in far more public forumsalong with my humble(ish) attempt to answer them.
Who should start the first game of the playoffs?
Caught this one being thrown around on WIP earlier this week. The subcategory of the question is whos the NL Cy Young? Both answers should be the same: Roy Halladay. Yes, Cliff Lee has an astounding six shutouts (to Halladays one), but Halladay has been impossibly consistent since pulling on his pinstriped-Phils uniform last season. Both have impressive numbers. Both have pitched well and deep into games all season. Both would be exceptional choices to take the mound in the first game of the playoffs. But Halladay is the reigning NL Cy Young award winner. He should get the nod. Crazy Ric Flair had it right all along: To be the man, you have to beat the man. Essentially tying the man isnt the same thing.
Who should hit lead off in the postseason?
Heard this one asked on the Phillies postgame show the other night. I found it comforting, if only because its so familiar. Seems like people have been sweating over this one for years now; its the baseball equivalent of Whiz or American. I gave up worrying about it a while ago. They both work. Jimmy Rollins? Shane Victorino? Does it matter? Rollins is coming off a DL stint, and Victorino has struggled for much of September. Come playoff time, Charlie Manuel will likely juggle as he sees fit, and according to whose bat is hotter. Works for me.
Should the organization bring back Jimmy Rollins next season?
Im astonished this is still being asked, but it is. After returning home, I had a long, heated conversation with a friend of mine whos a serious (and seriously addled) Phils fan. My pal kept pointing to Rollins age (hell turn 33 in November), injury history and potential price tag as reasons to let him walk. What he failed to notice or stipulate is thatwhile Rollins just got off the DL and, like the rest of us, is getting olderhe still makes difficult defensive plays look routine all the time. Rollins has the third-best fielding percentage among Major League shortstops. Not to mention that Rollins is having a fine season at the plate. Heading into Thursdays doubleheader, he ranked fifth among shortstops in home runs, eighth in RBIs, ninth in on-base percentage, 10th in slugging percentage and 12th in batting average. Those may not be MVP numbers any longer, but theyre solid. And as far as the argument about how much the Phils might have to pay him? That never makes sense to me. Its not my buddys money. Or yours. Or, thankfully, mine.
In the playoffs, who should start in left: Raul Ibanez or John Mayberry?
If its strictly a numbers thing, Mayberry has performed better over the last month and a half of the season. From August 1 through Sept 14, Mayberry hit .284 with seven home runs and 19 RBIs. Over that same span, Ibanez hit .242 with two homers and 13 RBIs. Still, the playoffs are intense. Even the sabermetric enthusiasts havent figured out a way to measure how postseason pressure affects athletes. Until they do, Im fine with using both guys in the usual platoon. Its worked out pretty nicely so far.
Whos inside the Phanatic costume?
Inside? And what do you mean "costume"?
Who should be the fourth playoff starter: Vance Worley or Roy Oswalt?
This one was recently written about by both Sam Donnellon and Rich Hofmann of the Daily News. Theyre fine writers and smart guys, and it says something significant about what Worley has done this season (11-2, 2.92 ERA, 103 strikeouts, 37 walks) that both scribes wondered about the same scenario. Still, it has to be Oswalt unless his arm unexpectedly detaches itself or he spontaneously combusts between now and October. Doesnt it? This hasnt been Oswalts best season by any measure (7-9, 3.88 ERA, 78 strikeouts, 30 walks), but hes got a distinguished resume built over a long career. Worley, on the other hand, has been excellentthis year. J.A. Happ was excellent last year before getting tradedthen he was not so excellent. The point being that things can change pretty quickly for young pitchers. To be clear, I dont think that will happen with Worley. I think hes the real deal and will be fine in the postseason. Its just that I prefer experience on the mound when forced into an either-or decision.
Is Chase Utley really one of the meanest players in baseball?
After polling 215 Major Leaguers, Sports Illustrated ran a much-talked-about piece crowning Chase Utley the second meanest player in baseball. If youre so inclined, you can find the entire list here.
The entire concept seemed sort of ridiculous to me, as though a bunch of catty high schoolers thought it up. But we like to do our own research here at CSNPhilly.com, so I put together a poll of my own that asked some random people if they think Utley is, in fact, mean. Here are the results: Johnny checked the yes box. Suzie checked the no box. And Sally went with the maybe box. Then again, Johnny isnt talking to Suzie right now so his vote might have been cast out of spite. You never can tell with these things.
E-mail John Gonzalez at jgonzalez@comcastsportsnet.com