Phelps

"John Kasupski" <kc2hmz.DeleteThis@wzrd.com> wrote in message
news:7irkk31fed0a9feb8akgg7hgc0kiu4lbat@4ax.com...
>
> Hi Group,
>
> Reds fan here...just noticed the Pirates let Josh Phelps go this week
> and was wondering if anybody here had any insight as to why?
>
> Seemed to me the guy could hit, played a decent enough first base, and
> was a servicable emergency catcher besides. He put up some very good
> numbers after the Pirates claimed him off waivers from the Yankees and
> his August numbers were almost unbelievable.
>
> His salary last year was only $600,000 according to Baseball
> Reference, so I can't even see this as a salary dump. Was he hurt or
> something? Why cut the guy who had the best OPS+ on the team?
>
> JK

Yeah, I'm scratching my head too on this one. A right-handed power hitter
off the bench, with a good eye, not making much money? And he could catch in
a pinch. So I don't get it. Phelps was productive for the Pirates,
especially when they first acquired him, he was hitting like .500 or
something, driving in runs off the bench left and right, then he cooled off
for a while, then finished the year so-so. But overall it looked like he'd
secured a spot on the bench. I'm sure he'll get a shot with another team
though, especially at that price.
 >> Stay informed about: Phelps 

"gig" <osled RemoveThis @lycos.com> wrote in message
news:O-2dnW4w4bMS8NbanZ2dnUVZ_ternZ2d@comcast.com...
> "John Kasupski" <kc2hmz RemoveThis @wzrd.com> wrote in message
> news:7irkk31fed0a9feb8akgg7hgc0kiu4lbat@4ax.com...
>>
>> Hi Group,
>>
>> Reds fan here...just noticed the Pirates let Josh Phelps go this week
>> and was wondering if anybody here had any insight as to why?
>>
>> Seemed to me the guy could hit, played a decent enough first base, and
>> was a servicable emergency catcher besides. He put up some very good
>> numbers after the Pirates claimed him off waivers from the Yankees and
>> his August numbers were almost unbelievable.
>>
>> His salary last year was only $600,000 according to Baseball
>> Reference, so I can't even see this as a salary dump. Was he hurt or
>> something? Why cut the guy who had the best OPS+ on the team?
>>
>> JK
>
> Yeah, I'm scratching my head too on this one. A right-handed power hitter
> off the bench, with a good eye, not making much money? And he could catch
> in a pinch. So I don't get it. Phelps was productive for the Pirates,
> especially when they first acquired him, he was hitting like .500 or
> something, driving in runs off the bench left and right, then he cooled
> off for a while, then finished the year so-so. But overall it looked like
> he'd secured a spot on the bench. I'm sure he'll get a shot with another
> team though, especially at that price.
>

Just another sign that the Pirates will set the record for most losing
seasons in a row by any major league sports franchise.
 >> Stay informed about: Phelps 

On Nov 26, 4:34 pm, Jim999 <iwantnom... DeleteThis @nowhere.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 02:01:36 -0500, John Kasupski <kc2... DeleteThis @wzrd.com>
> wrote:
>
> Our team is so talented that we can't use him.

Actually they can't really use him at this point. The fact that he
hits right handed limits his opportunities with right handers already
starting at any of the positions he's capable of playing except
first.

Steve Pearce can probably match anything Phelps can do at this point
and what the Pirates need more is a left hand hitting version of
Phelps (or better)
 >> Stay informed about: Phelps 

On Nov 26, 8:14 pm, "GraveDigger" <A....TakeThisOut@Anon.com> wrote:
> "gig" <os....TakeThisOut@lycos.com> wrote in message
>
> Just another sign that the Pirates will set the record for most losing
> seasons in a row by any major league sports franchise.

Well the Pirates probably will set that record but it has to do more
with having a shortstop who earns the top salary on the team at 8
million a year yet dreams about being able to hit someday like an
average shortstop, a string of failed first round drafted pitchers and
options at third base and center field that almost preclude any
success, than anything related to Phelps.

For a team that plays in a venue that favors left handed hitters and
punishes right handed ones to the degree PNC Park does, a roster with
more than one left handed starter with some power and not so many
righties wouldn't hurt either.
 >> Stay informed about: Phelps 

WHAT IS THE RECORD?

"GraveDigger" <Anon.DeleteThis@Anon.com> wrote in message
news:icK2j.27137$lD6.7504@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net...
>
> "gig" <osled.DeleteThis@lycos.com> wrote in message
> news:O-2dnW4w4bMS8NbanZ2dnUVZ_ternZ2d@comcast.com...
>> "John Kasupski" <kc2hmz.DeleteThis@wzrd.com> wrote in message
>> news:7irkk31fed0a9feb8akgg7hgc0kiu4lbat@4ax.com...
>>>
>>> Hi Group,
>>>
>>> Reds fan here...just noticed the Pirates let Josh Phelps go this week
>>> and was wondering if anybody here had any insight as to why?
>>>
>>> Seemed to me the guy could hit, played a decent enough first base, and
>>> was a servicable emergency catcher besides. He put up some very good
>>> numbers after the Pirates claimed him off waivers from the Yankees and
>>> his August numbers were almost unbelievable.
>>>
>>> His salary last year was only $600,000 according to Baseball
>>> Reference, so I can't even see this as a salary dump. Was he hurt or
>>> something? Why cut the guy who had the best OPS+ on the team?
>>>
>>> JK
>>
>> Yeah, I'm scratching my head too on this one. A right-handed power hitter
>> off the bench, with a good eye, not making much money? And he could catch
>> in a pinch. So I don't get it. Phelps was productive for the Pirates,
>> especially when they first acquired him, he was hitting like .500 or
>> something, driving in runs off the bench left and right, then he cooled
>> off for a while, then finished the year so-so. But overall it looked like
>> he'd secured a spot on the bench. I'm sure he'll get a shot with another
>> team though, especially at that price.
>>
>
> Just another sign that the Pirates will set the record for most losing
> seasons in a row by any major league sports franchise.
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Phelps 

"p62c61" <p62c61.RemoveThis@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:0566d315-55dc-4606-b9a3-94929907076c@s12g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
> On Nov 26, 8:14 pm, "GraveDigger" <A....RemoveThis@Anon.com> wrote:
>> "gig" <os....RemoveThis@lycos.com> wrote in message
>>
>> Just another sign that the Pirates will set the record for most losing
>> seasons in a row by any major league sports franchise.
>
> Well the Pirates probably will set that record but it has to do more
> with having a shortstop who earns the top salary on the team at 8
> million a year yet dreams about being able to hit someday like an
> average shortstop, a string of failed first round drafted pitchers and
> options at third base and center field that almost preclude any
> success, than anything related to Phelps.
>
> For a team that plays in a venue that favors left handed hitters and
> punishes right handed ones to the degree PNC Park does, a roster with
> more than one left handed starter with some power and not so many
> righties wouldn't hurt either.

It just goes to show how inept this franchise is from top to the bottom.
Until ownership changes this ship continues to sink, or is that stink?
 >> Stay informed about: Phelps 

"Gerky Gatzos" <mcwhoopie.RemoveThis@salad.net> wrote in message
news:1196175741_7605@sp12lax.superfeed.net...
> WHAT IS THE RECORD?
>
> "GraveDigger" <Anon.RemoveThis@Anon.com> wrote in message
> news:icK2j.27137$lD6.7504@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net...
>>
>> "gig" <osled.RemoveThis@lycos.com> wrote in message
>> news:O-2dnW4w4bMS8NbanZ2dnUVZ_ternZ2d@comcast.com...
>>> "John Kasupski" <kc2hmz.RemoveThis@wzrd.com> wrote in message
>>> news:7irkk31fed0a9feb8akgg7hgc0kiu4lbat@4ax.com...
>>>>
>>>> Hi Group,
>>>>
>>>> Reds fan here...just noticed the Pirates let Josh Phelps go this week
>>>> and was wondering if anybody here had any insight as to why?
>>>>
>>>> Seemed to me the guy could hit, played a decent enough first base, and
>>>> was a servicable emergency catcher besides. He put up some very good
>>>> numbers after the Pirates claimed him off waivers from the Yankees and
>>>> his August numbers were almost unbelievable.
>>>>
>>>> His salary last year was only $600,000 according to Baseball
>>>> Reference, so I can't even see this as a salary dump. Was he hurt or
>>>> something? Why cut the guy who had the best OPS+ on the team?
>>>>
>>>> JK
>>>
>>> Yeah, I'm scratching my head too on this one. A right-handed power
>>> hitter off the bench, with a good eye, not making much money? And he
>>> could catch in a pinch. So I don't get it. Phelps was productive for the
>>> Pirates, especially when they first acquired him, he was hitting like
>>> .500 or something, driving in runs off the bench left and right, then he
>>> cooled off for a while, then finished the year so-so. But overall it
>>> looked like he'd secured a spot on the bench. I'm sure he'll get a shot
>>> with another team though, especially at that price.
>>>
>>
>> Just another sign that the Pirates will set the record for most losing
>> seasons in a row by any major league sports franchise.
>>
>>
>
>

16 years!
 >> Stay informed about: Phelps 

"p62c61" <p62c61.DeleteThis@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:74ee4d3e-923f-44a8-997c-312afc33c47c@d4g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
> On Nov 26, 4:34 pm, Jim999 <iwantnom....DeleteThis@nowhere.com> wrote:
>> On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 02:01:36 -0500, John Kasupski <kc2....DeleteThis@wzrd.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Our team is so talented that we can't use him.
>
> Actually they can't really use him at this point. The fact that he
> hits right handed limits his opportunities with right handers already
> starting at any of the positions he's capable of playing except
> first.
>
> Steve Pearce can probably match anything Phelps can do at this point
> and what the Pirates need more is a left hand hitting version of
> Phelps (or better)

Good point. I'd actually forgotten about Pearce. Given the choice between
the two, I'd take him over Phelps I guess. Left-handed version of Phelps?
Where's Matt Stairs when ya need him?!
 >> Stay informed about: Phelps