Dugout of the Week: JD McGillicuddy’s. (See below for details). *** There is a movement afoot in Philadelphia to commemorate each July 29th as “Ruben Amaro, Jr. Day.”  For the third consecutive year, the Phillies general manager has managed to complete a blockbuster trade just days before the July 31 deadline.  July 29, 2009 saw the Phillies acquire Cliff Lee; July 29, 2010 marked the day that Amaro went out and snagged Roy Oswalt; and, of course, this year’s anniversary witnessed Amaro attain the services of one Hunter Andrew Pence, the former All-Star outfielder of the Houston Astros.  The …

The Philadelphia Phillies were the third major league team to inform Shane Victorino that they could survive without his services, thank you. Don’t bother to call, we’ll call you. The year was 2005, and the Phillies after selecting Victorino in the Rule 5 draft on December 13, 2004, decided that Shane Victorino was not a major league caliber ballplayer and certainly not one that fit into their future plans.  The switch-hitting outfielder was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth round of the 1999 amateur draft. However, after posting some rather unimpressive numbers in …

The word charismatic is often used when speaking about Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins. The diminutive dynamo, a mainstay of the Phillies since his major league debut on Sept. 17, 2000, has been a model of consistency for the last decade and his ebullient and effervescent spirit has rubbed off on many of his teammates, who look to Jimmy for guidance and leadership.  James Calvin Rollins was born on Nov. 27, 1978 in Oakland, California, to James and Gigi Rollins, both of who remain instrumental in Jimmy’s life, today. His dad, James, Sr. was a wrestler and weightlifter and also ran track. His…

As the days drew nigh to Christmas, baseball fans in New York, Texas and Boston held their collective breaths as they awaited the decision by Cliff Lee, as to where he would ply his trade in 2011. Not that the Boston Red Sox were in the mix, it’s just that the fans of “Red Sox Nation” were hoping that Lee would not choose to upset the balance of power in the AL East. So, on the ides of December, when word came down that Cliff Lee was returning to the city of brotherly love, the world of baseball was knocked for a proverbial loop. Not only did Lee opt to sign a long-term contract with the …

How good was Charlie Manuel as a hitter?  Consider the following: Carl Yastrzemski was the last major leaguer to win a triple crown (leading his league in batting average, home runs and runs batted in). Yastrzemski accomplished this feat in 1967, 44 years ago. That very same season, Charlie Manuel, a young prospect in the Minnesota Twins system, also won a triple crown, albeit, in the Midwest League.  Charlie duplicated Yastrzemski’s feat while playing with the Wisconsin Rapids. In 111 games, Manuel batted .313, with 15 home runs and 70 RBIs.  Manuel also achieved success in 1968 with …

When the word filtered down that Charlie Manuel was to succeed the fiery Larry Bowa at the beginning of the 2005 campaign, the announcement of his hiring was met with less than unbridled joy.  Oh, Charlie had limited success at the major league level, having had managed the Cleveland Indians to a second place finish in 2000, followed by a first place finish in 2001.  However, after a slow start by the Tribe in 2002, Manuel was handed his walking papers on July 11.  Charlie did, however, arrive with the reputation as a great hitting coach and the dreaded label, “players’ manager,” as if that …

Ryan Howard stared at his pitcher incredulously. With the score knotted at 4-4 in the top of the 19th inning, the sight of his “pitcher” shaking off, not one, but two of his catcher’s signs, drove Howard to laughter.  After all, the pitcher had not even thrown a pitch as of yet to the Cincinnati Reds reigning MVP, Joey Votto. However, this was not just any hurler. This was the Phillies super sub, utility infielder Wilson Valdez. Manager Charlie Manuel had stated in the past that he would never send a position player to the mound under any circumstance, however, Charlie had already used Roy …

Editor's Note: For a related story on Jon Pettibone, click here for a May 26 article from the Clearwater Patch. The rich are about to get richer.  There is a young man currently toiling for the High A Clearwater Threshers who is not that far removed from joining the Philadelphia Phillies' elite staff.  His ETA is approximately 2013 and he will be bringing an impressive resume and a full arsenal to Citizens Bank Park.  His name is Jon Pettibone and he is a slender looking, but solid 6’5 200 lb right-hander.  Pettibone was born in Placentia, California on July 19, 1990, which makes him all of …

The names of the all-time greats just roll off the tongue, Lou Gehrig, Hank Greenberg, Joe DiMaggio and Babe Ruth.  All of them legends, all of them immediately recognizable as among the greatest run producers in major league history.  In fact, Gehrig, Greenberg, DiMaggio and Ruth hold the distinction of knocking in the most runs per game in the illustrious history of the game. However, many would be surprised to learn which player ranks fifth all-time, just behind the aforementioned Hall of Famers. Oh, but he’s very familiar to Phillies manager, Charlie Manuel, who calls his huge slugger, “…

George Kissell, the career minor league manager, coach, scout and instructor, who once roomed with Babe Ruth, knew a thing or two about the game of baseball. So when Kissell, who passed away at the age of 88 in 2008 remarked, “Placido Polanco has the best knowledge of the strike zone that any hitter I’ve ever seen,” it certainly raised some eyebrows.  Placido, the Phillies third-baseman and occasional second-baseman since 2010, is perhaps the one Phillies superstar who consistently flies under the radar. In Polly’s initial season in Philadelphia,  Placido managed an impressive .298 batting …