Dominant Pitching Fuels Phils’ Resurgence

On August 14th, the Philadelphia Phillies may have hit the low point for their season. After a 3-1 loss against the Dodgers, the Phils were 64-57, had just been swept in a four-game set, had lost seven of ten overall, and had fallen a game back from the Mets for the NL East lead. But in that game, Brett Myers had turned in a strong effort on the mound that carried through to a surprisingly strong series of outings for Philadelphia starting hurlers. Over the next ten games, the Phillies allowed just 22 runs (and 8 of them in one poor outing by Kyle Kendrick), fired three shutouts, and allowed more than 2 runs in only two of the ten games. The Phillies’ starters went 7-1 during that stretch and the team entered Tuesday’s series against the Mets trailing by one-half a game.

The Starters
Jamie Moyer went 13.2 innings, allowing just one run. Unfortunately, the run support was not that strong and Moyer won one game but was denied a victory when Ryan Madson blew a save. He continued his improbably strong season, his best since 2003.

Kyle Kendrick continued his up-and-down season by hurling one dominant game (5.2 innings, 1 ER) in which he picked up the win and one atrocious game (lasting 3.2 innings and giving up 6 ER) in a losing effort. He continues to allow too many base runners, putting on 16 in 9.1 innings, a number that is only very slightly above his season average. As a sinker pitcher with unimpressive speed, Kendrick needs to solve his location issues if he is to be successful.

Staff Ace Cole Hamels finally got enough support to add two to his victory total. Hamels went 15 innings, allowed just 3 runs, and was dominant in allowing just 12 base runners. He had done this all season, and was finally rewarded. Hamels should probably have 13 or 14 wins at this point.

Joe Blanton is in roughly the same boat as Kyle Kendrick, but managed to last 11 innings, yield five runs, and while he recorded no decisions, the Phillies won both of his starts. Like Kendrick, he also allowed too many batters to reach base (18 in 11 innings). Blanton has allowed 30 base runners in his last 16 innings, a frighteningly high number.

Brett Myers was not quite the Brett Myers of old, but the results were undeniable. Myers went 16 shutout innings, including a complete game, and won both his starts. Unfortunately, he gave up 18 hits and 22 base runners in the process, meaning it was far from easy. His 25Ks vs. 6 BBs in his last three starts have pushed his season total 126 Ks and 899 in his career.

Here follow the Staff Ace Numbers along with brief explanations of the movement. Each pitcher receives a rank from 1-5 for each area. These category ranks are totaled. Lower numbers are better. The best score is a 7 while the worst is a 35.

Inning Pitched
Hamels 7.0
Myers 6.3
Moyer 6.1
Kendrick/Blanton 5.4

WHIP
Hamels 1.04
Moyer 1.32
Myers 1.40
Blanton 1.42
Kendrick 1.55

BAA
Hamels .220
Moyer .261
Myers .264
Blanton .265
Kendrick .293

Quality Starts
Hamels 18
Moyer 16
Myers/Kendrick 12
Blanton 3

ERA
Hamels 3.29
Moyer 3.54
Blanton 4.03
Myers 4.49
Kendrick 4.87

Team Record
Blanton 5-2
Kendrick 17-9
Hamels 16-11
Moyer 15-11
Myers 9-15

W/L Record
Moyer/Kendrick 11-7
Hamels 11-8
Myers 7-10
Blanton 1-0

OVERALL (Change)
Hamels 11 (-3): Hamels has become even more dominant and remains the clear staff ace.
Moyer 16.5  (-3.5): Some impressive appearances by Moyer push him into the clear #2 spot, but tonight’s shelling at the hands of the Mets will hurt him.
Myers 24 (-3): Awesome shutout appearances have Myers climb from #5 to #3 and right now, he and Hamels are both dominant.
Kendrick 24.5 (+0.5): A slight increase is the result of Kendrick’s inconsistency, but he remains #4.
Blanton 28.5 (+8.5): Blanton struggled and took a beating for it. He slips from #3 to #5.

Assessing the LA Lakers’ Needs

Assessing LA Lakers’ Team Needs

Assuming the Los Angeles Lakers have the core of their camp invites already selected, it becomes easy to speculate about which players address problem areas exposed during the Lakers’ ill-fated Finals appearance. Speculation is possible at three levels: identifying the problem areas, identifying who are the core players and who are not yet guaranteed, and identifying which players address the needs best.

The first thing that needs to be said is that the Lakers have a team that must build for the post season. This is obvious for two reasons. In the first place, the team was dominant before Andrew Bynum’s season ending knee injury and dominant after the arrival of Pau Gasol. Now both of them are on the team and presumably healthy (Pau is; witness his dominant Olympics performance). Second, simply getting to the playoffs will not do. After a young team makes a trip to the Finals and retains its core, the expectations increase. The Lakers must play like a playoff team, not like a regular season juggernaut (see the Phoenix Suns of recent years) in order for the season to be considered a success.

Three Problems

With that out of the way, the next task is to identify the shortcomings in the playoffs. There will be some disagreement here, but there is a core of problems that no one can deny. LA did not rebound well enough (they yielded far too many offensive boards), LA did not play good perimeter defense (gave up too many open jumpers), and they did not have the ability to create shots off the dribble (so they became easy to defend).

Sixteen Players

Point Guard: Derek Fisher, Jordan Farmar, Joe Crawford

Shooting Guard: Kobe Bryant, Sasha Vujacic, Dwayne Mitchell, Sun Yue

Small Forward: Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza, Luke Walton

Power Forward: Pau Gasol, Vlad Radmanovic, Josh Powell

Center: Andrew Bynum, Chris Mihm, DJ Mbenga

The contracts of all of the above are guaranteed except Joe Crawford, Dwayne Mitchell, (possibly) Sun Yue, (possibly) Josh Powell, and DJ Mbenga. In fact, Mbenga may not even have a contract at this point and may not receive one. Leaving aside those issues, the core of the team includes the first two players listed at each position as well as Lakers fixture Luke Walton. The tally stands at eleven players. The Lakers can accommodate as many as fifteen players although Mitch Kupchak has reportedly said that he would not be opposed to (and may even be leaning toward) running with thirteen or fourteen players so the Lakers have ‘flexibility’ (which may be spelled ‘Alonzo Mourning’ who is expected to be ready some time in December). Assuming the Lakers are really impressed with Joe Crawford, whom they drafted, and are serious about the two-year contract they extended to Sun Yue, the roster stands at thirteen. Assume those are the thirteen players on the roster when LA opens the season. How does that roster address LA’s weaknesses?

Problem One: Rebounding

It has been said that the Lakers need toughness. It is not something that shows up in the stat sheet or the weight room, but it is something you can see on the court. It is just unclear whether toughness really matters. If it is possible to be a good defender and good rebounder without toughness, then the Lakers should settle for rebounders and defenders. They receive an immediate lift in the form of Andrew Bynum, who was averaging an impressive double digit rebounds per game before his injury. He was replaced by offensive dynamo Pau Gasol, a surprisingly good athlete, swift of foot, sporting an expansive shooting repertoire, but not a very good rebounder, especially at the Center spot. The return of Bynum may shore up that weakness immediately. It surely cannot hurt. The Lakers lost Ronny Turiaf, a player long on toughness and shotblocking, but short on rebounding.

Problem Two: Perimeter Defense

After watching Paul Pierce slice through Los Angeles and either hit a shot, draw a foul, or dish to any number of wide open three point shooters, LA fans must recognize this weakness. And they should be sick of it. The problem is not so much a problem for the guards as it is for the Small Forward spot. Pierce’s ability to get into the lane and cause defensive rotation was the main culprit. Basketball wisdom says that the thing to stop dribble penetration is a defensive anchor. There are questions about whether Andrew Bynum is going to be a dominant defensive presence, but there is no doubting that a seven foot, 290 pound athletic player is a good start. His sheer size and shotblocking skills outshine anyone’s on the team and should go a long way toward addressing this weakness. Yes, Derek Fisher should stop going under screens and Kobe should invest more energy on defense (he will be able to this year, as LA boasts five or six players who can score 20 points on a given night). But no Guard should be put on an island repeatedly. When an opponent beats an LA defender off the dribble, if there is a defensive anchor, the need to cheat and help defensively decreases for all players. Expect team defense to improve and dribble penetration to look a bit different next season. That will reduce the number of open three pointers teams see.

Problem Three: Creating Shots

Kobe Bryant is the best in the NBA at creating a shot off the dribble. Unfortunately, outside Kobe, the skill is perhaps the scarcest on the team. Gasol and Bynum can go to work in the post, but the Lakers need someone to penetrate and get to the rim or kick to the open man. And if a team is not getting to the rim and is merely looking to kick out the ball, the defense need not over commit. So the Lakers must find other players to get to the rim. It appears as if Jordan Farmar and Trevor Ariza have this ability to respectable degrees. Ariza has been a high flying player at times, a thunderous dunker, but his handles are limited, which decreases his ability. Farmar on the other hand, has good handles but is perhaps even too aggressive in driving to the hoop for such a small guy. Added strength for both players would allow them to take contact and still finish the play. In short, however, the Lakers have done little to address this problem.

Three Problems, Two Solutions

So two of the three problem areas have been addressed. The third has not. Looking over the roster, the two players who have the best chances of helping the Lakers address that third weakness are, in no particular order, Joe Crawford and Dwayne Mitchell. Crawford is the better ball handler and better Free Throw shooter, but he is lighter and a bit weaker than Mitchell. Mitchell is more athletic and more likely to finish at the rim, but he is a poor Free Throw shooter. Either player could go a long way toward adding a penetrator, but if Kupchak remains firm in his thought that the roster will stand at thirteen or fourteen, only Crawford will make the team. And that seems a problem. Perhaps as an aside, Josh Powell, it should be noted, is (among other things) a far better rebounder than Ronny Turiaf.

So here is hoping the Lakers retain Mitchell and Powell or make use of those two remaining roster spots through shrewd moves. Alonzo Mourning would address rebounding and provide a fantastic help defender (addressing the first two problems) while a player like Bonzi Wells (if fully healthy), on the outs with so many other teams, would be a fantastic fit at getting to the rim. Unless LA finds someone to fill that third role on the team, a dominant regular season performance could again be wasted.

Phillies’ Phutility is Offensive

Since the beginning of August, the Phillies’ offense has been nothing like the juggernaut it was last season. And it is not as if one single player is to blame as Ryan Howard (batting 36 points lower than last year’s mark), Jimmy Rollins (batting thirty points lower), and Chase Utley (batting a whopping 48 points lower) have all performed significantly less impressively than they did last season. This has truly been a club wide phenomenon. The Phillies have won just seven of the sixteen games during this stretch and have given up the NL East lead.

The primary reason for the slip has been that during this stretch, the Phils have averaged just a shade over 3 runs per game (3.06). The true shame is that Phillies hurlers have performed admirably and their efforts have been wasted. In eleven of the sixteen August games, the Phils have held their opponents below five runs per game. They have thrown two shutouts, two one-run games, two two-run games (losing one), and three three-run games (losing one). Had the Phils scored just three runs in each game in August, they would have won six games and would be tied in three more. In other words, that would give them a better record than they have now (seven and a half wins vs. seven).

Things have gotten even worse of late as team plate discipline has gone to pot. In the last six games, Philadelphia hitters have struck out 54 times while drawing just 18 walks. That’s a 3:1 K/BB ratio, which is dreadful. Factoring out the fact that six of these were intentional walks, the Phils’ plate discipline is clearly lacking. And the results have been what one would expect. In the past six games, the Phils have managed just 16 runs. In the last four games, they have tallied just seven.

This is all happening while the Phils are locked in a battle for the division lead. They are currently a game and a half back from the Mets despite leading for a long time. A pathetic offensive display like this does two things that the Phils cannot afford at such a time. First, it is impossible to win games without scoring runs. That much is obvious. In addition, there is concern about the psyche of the pitchers who throw so well only to lose games because of no support. As the season closes and the pressure grows, pitchers do not need any more stress because in this game of powerful hitters, one bad pitch can mean big runs. This is a situation that must be monitored.

Just this month, Cole Hamels has lost two heartbreakers. He went 6.1 innings, allowing just 2 runs in receiving a loss and then went 7 innings of 2 run ball, left with the lead, and saw the Phils lose. Brett Myers, a changed man since returning from his purgatory stint in the minors, allowed 3 runs in 7 innings and took a loss. Even newcomer Joe Blanton got in on the action. A brilliant 7 innings of one-hit, shutout ball failed to earn Blanton a decision. While the pitchers will say they do not care about stats (as Hamels has repeatedly), a brilliant performance that you cannot take pride in because the team loses takes its toll. On the other hand, a game where a pitcher does not throw his best stuff but gets bailed out by a dominant offensive performance takes the sting out of the poor performance. In short, the Phils’ O has to get going because the runs shower confidence on hitters and pitchers alike. Confidence down the stretch has a high correlation with success. Timidity correlates with chokes like the Mets saw last season.

Age Is Just a(nother) Number

When Jamie Moyer and Greg Maddux took the mound against one another Friday night as the Phillies faced the Padres, they brought a combined 87 years of “experience” with them. There’s a commonplace adage that age is just a number. This was a matchup that involved some impressive numbers, and not just the number of years the pitches possessed.

Maddux has far more impressive career numbers, but both have hit milestones that few pitchers ever hope to see. Maddux entered the night with 4960.2 innings logged (14th best all-time) while Moyer had 3694.1 (now 55th all-time). Maddux had struck out 3349 hitters in his career (10th all-time) while Moyer had whiffed 2218 (48th all-time). Maddux has a Hall of Fame worthy 353 wins (9th best), while Moyer had 240 (and moved ahead of Her Pennock for 53rd place). That’s a combined 87 years, 8655 innings, 5567 strikeouts, and 593 wins. Those are all big numbers.

And while Maddux’s career has guaranteed him a trip to the Hall and Moyer’s probably hasn’t, it has been Moyer who has seen more success this season. After the game, Moyer has thrown 151 innings, owns an 11-7 record, and has a 3.64 ERA. Maddux has gone 153.1 innings, has his ERA just a shade under 4.00, but he is just 6-9 on the season. Still, both pitchers find themselves solid starters because their incredible mechanics have coupled with good health of late to allow them to pitch regularly when scheduled and to stay in games deep into the pitch count. Knowing that you can reliably send a pitcher to the mound every five games and receive an average of five or six innings is huge in today’s game.

Last night’s game was a microcosm for the two pitchers’ recent careers. Both pitchers went deep, used pinpoint accuracy to better effect than most fireballers use their heat, and when both left the game after 7 innings, the score was 1-0. Both had put their teams in a position to win yet again. The score didn’t change after that point, so Moyer picked up the win and Maddux was saddled with the loss. For Moyer, the win was number 241. That’s a long way to go to catch Maddux. But they’re all just numbers. And what do numbers matter?

A Candid Look at Greatness

Travis J. Rodgers

One’s ability to adapt to new surroundings and challenges speaks volumes about one’s degree of competence. Spectators across the globe are now presented with the opportunity to observe the NBA’s greatest players facing new surroundings (team USA) and new challenges (the basketball world and the international game). As Lakers fans tune in to watch Kobe Bryant in the white number ten jersey, they should expect to see something very different from what they see in the purple and gold eight. The question is whether Kobe is modifying his game as he should.

Entering Thursday’s game against the Hellenes, while Kobe had been touted for his defense, he had been maligned for his shooting from “long” range. That is, despite the international three point line being a bit closer than the NBA line, Kobe had shot just 1 for 15 on threes. So facing what was considered the first “true” competition in the Greek squad (featuring, among others, almost Laker Theodorus Papaloukas), what should spectators have seen? In short, an honest read of Kobe Bryant as a player.

The setting has changed, but Kobe’s raw attributes have shone through. The virtues and vices he possesses are merely looking a bit different because of the change in scenario. Kobe is still fantastically athletic. Witness at least two fastbreak dunks Kobe thundered home and two attempted alley oops. One Kobe threw down; another he missed, cramming it hard off the back iron. Still his level of athleticism is elite even on a team of athletic freaks and facing superior competition.

The most significant changes we should see in Bryant on the Olympic team are two in number. First, Kobe should play more consistent defense. Second, his shot selection should improve. In the NBA, Bryant invests himself on the defensive end when the challenge presents itself. This is a merit that gets lost in the shuffle at times. He wins All-Defensive First Team awards regularly. Some have challenged the legitimacy of these awards. Setting aside actual judging criteria, there is little doubt that Bryant is a top flight defender even against the best in the game–that is, when he is free to invest the energy on defense. In the Olympics, he has been able and he has responded. No one on team USA except Bryant consistently faces his opponent and goes one on one defensively. While other players pick up blocks and steals from taking at times questionable risks defensively, Kobe quietly does his job on every possession.

Kobe’s shot selection reveals his Achilles’s heel. The 1 for 15 mark might suggest that Kobe is “gunning” or “chucking,” but he’s not really. He has been asked to play a role on team USA that differs markedly from that which he plays on the Lakers. How many catch and shoot opportunities does Kobe see for LA? Few. He sees more of them in the Olympics and it is his job to take them. Stepping back a bit (to the more comfortable NBA three-range) allowed Kobe to hit a couple of threes against Greece and improve that dreadful percentage. But it would be unfair to say that Kobe has been a good boy when it comes to shot selection. One of his threes was deep and contested. He hit that shot. He took a turnaround jumper with a defender on him tightly. He missed that shot. This is the competitor that Kobe is, however. He wants to win the one on one match up and the game. Sometimes those two coincide, but not always. And this is how Kobe will forever be known, it seems: fighting hard to win both the individual and the team battle, trying to find the balance, being celebrated for his successes, and being censured when he falls short. And that sounds fair.

One final observation from the Olympic team. Notice Dwyane Wade doing post game interviews. Notice LeBron James leading vocally on the court. Notice Kobe leading by example. The unofficial scout against other teams, Kobe has been a tactician behind the scenes and a paradigm of conduct on the court. It may be that this Olympic experience helps Bryant move to the next level as a player. His understanding of the game is perhaps unparalleled. His physical abilities and skill for the game are also perhaps unparalleled. After taking huge strides toward gaining respect as a team leader, the main man on a team that plays as a squad, the one who can tell everyone else exactly where they need to be, can Kobe finally get himself precisely where he needs to be? This question will be answered soon enough.

Phillies’ Staff Ace

Phillies’ Ace: By the Numbers

Travis J. Rodgers
It is easy enough to point to Cole Hamels as the Phillies’ best pitcher, but ranking the others is a bit more difficult. Some have been consistent (Jamie Moyer). Some have been dominant of late (Joe Blanton and Brett Myers). Some were very good, but have since fallen off (Kyle Kendrick).  The ACE stat I suggest here gives a team-by-team ranking of which pitcher is really the staff’s number one (and two through five).

The practice is simple: rank the pitchers according to the stats that matter. Impressive as strikeouts are, they do not really determine whether your team wins a game. An out is an out as long as the runners do not advance. So what matters? How many innings are they throwing per outing, what is the pitcher’s record, what is the team’s record in those games, what is the pitcher’s ERA (because poor run support shouldn’t count against a pitcher), what is the pitcher’s WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched), what is the pitcher’s BAA (batting average allowed), and how many quality starts has the pitcher provided (because quality starts should be won).

Innings Per Start
1. Hamels 6.9
2. Myers 6.1
3. Moyer 6.0
4. Kendrick 5.5
5. Blanton 5.5

W/L Record
1. Kendrick 10-6
2. Moyer 10-7
3. Hamels 9-8
4. Myers 5-9
5. Blanton 1-0

Team Record
1. Blanton 3-1
2. Kendrick 16-8
3. Moyer 14-10
4. Hamels 14-11
5. Myers 7-14

ERA
1. Blanton 3.30
2. Hamels 3.32
3. Moyer 3.81
4. Kendrick 4.74
5. Myers 5.09

WHIP
1. Hamels 1.07
2. Blanton 1.09
3. Moyer 1.35
4. Myers 1.43
5. Kendrick 1.54

BAA
1. Blanton .205
2. Hamels .220
3. Myers .265
4. Moyer .269
5. Kendrick .296

Quality Starts
1. Hamels 16
2. Moyer 14
3. Kendrick 12
4. Myers 9
5. Blanton 2

OVERALL
Hamels 14
Moyer 20
Blanton 20
Kendrick 24
Myers 27

Staff Ace: Cole Hamels (no surprise). He leads the teams in innings per outing, WHIP, and Quality Starts. He’s also tops in Complete Games, Shutouts, Innings Pitched, Strikeouts, and K/BB Ratio. He’s an elite pitcher who has had terrible luck.

On the Rise: Brett Myers may be back to his dominant self as he has put together three consecutive quality starts, gone 2-0, dropped his ERA by 0.73, and has allowed just 16 hits in his last 25+ innings. If he is back to stay, he’s a borderline staff ace. It was not long ago that Myers fanned nearly 400 hitters in posting sub 4.00 ERA seasons back to back.

On the Decline: Kendrick has stumbled of late. He sandwiched three quality starts between two atrocious trips to the mound. His most recent debacle saw him yield 7 runs in 3.1 innings, fail to strikeout a hitter, and allow 12 base runners. As a guy who has a lot of pitches, but not great velocity, Kendrick needs his control to be pinpoint. When it’s not, we see results like we did against the Dodgers.

NBA: The Fringe Lakers

Travis J. Rodgers
Coby Karl, Joe Crawford, DJ Mbenga, Dwayne Mitchell, Sun Yue. What do these players have in common? They have a good chance of being on the LA Lakers when the season starts. Well, a better chance than I have of being on the team at least. Then again, none of them are a sure thing. So who has the best chance of making the team, what roles might they see, and what does it all mean for the Lakers?

Coby Karl:“George’s Son” is a 6′5 204 pound Shooting Guard who played in 17 games for the Lakers last season, doing little other than hitting 80% of his Free Throws. He was then given ample opportunity to shine for LA’s Summer League team. The results: we saw that Karl is a gunner who takes stupid shots and gets killed on defense. Of course he didn’t have Bynum backing him up, but Karl’s performance was disappointing to say the least.
Strengths: A sweet shot as long as he’s not thirty-five feet from the basket as he seemed to be every time he jacked up a three during the Summer League. Lots of heart.
Weaknesses: So-so athleticism, poor decision-making, a bit green, game seems too fast for him right now.
Outlook: Karl has the shooting ability to make a team in the NBA at present. Once there it would be a question of how long the team could stand his shortcomings. Even if his game is dissimilar to Luke Walton’s, he has the impact of a poor man’s Luke Walton (or maybe Walton last season). Not enough athleticism on defense, not enough skill on the offensive end. But while Walton has a decent post game, Karl has that jumper.
Verdict: He will make the team because everyone is in love with him and who doesn’t love another “cerebral” (read: unathletic) player for the triangle? I’m just not convinced that he deserves it.

Joe Crawford: “The Referee” is a 6′5, 207 pound Shooting Guard. He was the Lakers’ sole selection in the 2008 Draft and looked good on their Summer League team. He showed an ability and willingness to attack relentlessly. With that skill seriously lacking outside Kobe (and Farmar and Ariza to a limited degree), Crawford may find himself a nice niche. He has an athletic build, good speed, good leaping skills. He worked hard on defense and seems to know his weaknesses. Seeing how he addresses the weaknesses through his rookie season will be key.
Strengths: Athleticism, aggressive mindset, defensive tools.
Weaknesses: Not a good shooter from three, only so-so ball-handling and passing skills.
Outlook: Crawford should go immediately to the Developmental League or maybe immediately after a week of hanging out with the team and becoming comfortable with an NBA lifestyle. He needs to play the game to work on his shortcomings, but he projects to a top of the bench player who could thrive in the role of attacker off the pine.
Verdict: He will make the team and play very little as a rookie.

DJ Mbenga: The 7′, 255 pounder has not been offered a contract as far as I’ve heard. This is surprising because LA is light on bigs and Mbenga played well for the Lakers in spot duty last season. A solid shotblocker with good to great raw athletic power, Mbenga cannot shoot, but he does the dirty work.
Strengths: I cannot think of many more athletic seven footers in the NBA. I’m not saying there are none, but Mbenga is incredibly fit, agile, and active. Really fit in as a high energy player last season.
Weaknesses: Plays away from the basket too much so he does not rebound well. Little to no game outside eight feet or so.
Outlook: Chris Mihm, the current backup Center, has had serious injury issues. Vlad Radmanovic, probably the current backup Power Forward, is not a good fit against physical players. Someone like Mbenga is needed to match up for five to ten minutes per game against the bruisers. He can outhustle people and make them work because of his athleticism.
Verdict: I think he makes the team, and I am shocked he hasn’t yet received a contract (or maybe he has and no one knows it).

Dwayne Mitchell: 6′5, 210 pounds, and carved from granite, Mitchell wins the best physique contest until Bynum unveils his new buff bod, I guess. After posting Josh Smith-esque numbers at Louisiana-Lafayette, Mitchell has played internationally and in the Developmental League. He began dominating the DLeague last season, posting great scoring and rebounding numbers. He played incredibly well for LA’s Summer League team. In my opinion, he was the best player on the team. He is a slasher, but although he cannot hit his Free Throws, he can probably get to the line better from the arc than anyone on this team except Kobe.
Strengths: Incredible athlete, incredibly strong, great attacker, picture perfect defensive tools, very good rebounder.
Weaknesses: Poor ball handler, suspect jumper, poor FT shooter, doesn’t move his feet enough on defense.
Outlook: If Mitchell makes the team, I would be giddy at the thought of him and Ariza holding down the 2 and 3 spots on the second team for defensive purposes. He needs to ride his athleticism and passion to impress by defensive work, attacking, and rebounding throughout training camp. If he does this, he’s a Laker. As many will point out, however, there are reasons he has not been in the NBA (one of those was an apparently misdiagnosed heart condition that kept him from being drafted).
Verdict: Mitchell is best suited for playing the SG or SF spot, but the Lakers are so stacked there, his natural position counts against him. That said, defense and attacking are two skills in short supply on this team. He is a coinflip away from being off the team, it seems.

Sun Yue: The 6′9, 220 pounder from China, dubbed “The Chinese Magic,” has reportedly agreed to a two year contract with the Lakers. He has played very little for his national team, but some point to a broadly political source for that fact. He probably cannot play full time Point Guard in the NBA (lack of lateral speed) so he may find himself playing Small Forward (but there strength is a concern). So really Yue could play any of the 1, 2, or 3 spots for the Lakers. He has a decent shot, seems to hustle a ton, and has the height that makes him an intriguing Guard prospect.
Strengths: Aggressive, tall for his position, fast in straight lines, good handles and maybe great passing regardless of position.
Weaknesses: Lack of bulk and strength are concerns. Athleticism seems decent but little more. Not a great shooter.
Outlook: The signing of Yue says nothing necessarily about the Lakers’ plans for this coming season. Yue is going to get a lot of exposure during the Olympics so offering a two year contract ensures that the Lakers will not watch Yue bolt for money elsewhere. He may ride the pine or go to the DLeague. He may surprise us all and play a bit. He projects to an interesting player in the mold of what Sasha Vujacic was supposed to be: a really tall player who can handle the ball and pass incredibly well. If he develops a three-point stroke like Sasha, defense would be gravy.
Verdict: He will be on the team and wearing purple and gold at some point in the next two years.

Philadelphia’s Overlooked Spark Plug

Diminutive Victorino Provides Hustle and Clutch Play

As the Philadelphia Phillies press on with their stumbling approach to the NL East Championship, it is easy to pin their offensive success on either of their two previous MVP winners (Jimmy Rollins or Ryan Howard), their best shot at MVP this season (Chase Utley), or their elder statesman who is tearing up the team career leader list (Pat Burrell). But Shane Victorino’s fleet feet, skillful play in the field, and surprising consistency seem lost in the mix. Perhaps Philadelphia management realizes the gem they have in their laps as they did not budge (according to rumors) in offering Victorino as trade bait when the trade deadline came and went.

While it is one’s play down the stretch in a divisional race that should determine one’s worth, why is the Flyin’ Hawaiian mentioned so late in conversations about Philadelphia’s success? One possible answer is that Victorino bats just .271 with runners in scoring position (RISP) and .262 RISP with two outs. Those are not good numbers. And obviously guys like Howard, Burrell, and Utley hit more home runs than Victorino. In this game of prolific power displays, little guys can disappear. But Victorino has 15 RBI in 42 at bats with RISP. Ryan Howard has 27 RBI in 68 at bats with RISP and two outs so their numbers are comparable.

Another suggestion is that Victorino doesn’t show up where a lot of sports fans look: Victorino is not the sole team leader in any offensive category. While he is tied for the team lead with five doubles, he ranks 2nd in runs, hits, steals, and batting average. He is third in at bats and OBP. He is fourth in doubles. He is fifth in RBI and walks. And he is a “lowly” sixth in home runs on the power heavy Phillies. Is there another player who is so important to a team’s success who does not lead the team in any category?

Now, retraining Victorino on the team looks like a good move as the Phils approach the finish line. Although he slumped a bit mid-season, entering July with a .272 average, .346 on base percentage, and .370 slugging percentage, Victorino has paid dividends down the stretch. In addition to at least two recent game-winning hits (July 30th against the Nationals to help the Phillies reclaim the division lead and August 3rd to beat NL powerhouse St. Louis), Victorino has been hot since the start of July. In 105 July at bats, Victorino posted .333/.381/.619 hitting numbers and 14 extra base hits. He is currently hitting .288 with a .351 on base percentage, and .451 slugging.

A player like Victorino is a rare combo of speed, all out hustle, and apparently has ice water in his veins. That last bit remains to be seen, but all recent indications point to Victorino patrolling center field for years to come. And so long as he is in center field, the Phillies will have speed, hustle, discipline at the plate, and a skilled fielder covering the center green.

Propaedeutic.

Consider this an introduction to the blog. I’m a fan of football, basketball, and baseball, in that order. I also watch a bit of college sports at whatever school I happen to be attending at the time (currently FSU) so you might find something about a wide range of sports.

What you will find includes articles and opinions about sports generally, the above sports listed less generally, and specific writeups about my favorite teams: Oakland Raiders, Notre Dame football, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia Phillies. So do keep an eye out.

A bit about me: I am scarcely an athlete. My primary knowledge of sports comes from playing sports from fourth grade to my senior year in high school, playground and gymnasium basketball, and watching a ton of it on the television. I stay active, but I’ve never done anything impressive (except something that looks cool on paper: leading my team in rushing when James Mungro broke the Pennsylvania state rushing record against us back in 1995 or 1996; nevermind that I had 16 yards rushing on 5 carries). I post regularly at Clublakers.com, Club-raiders.com, Clubphillies.com, and TheLakersNation.com. I am formerly the administrator of Club-Cowboys.com, but since they have mistreated Julius Jones, I want nothing to do with that team.

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