6-pack of questions: It’s Always Sunny for Phillies Fans

     This is going to be a re-occuring segment, so I hope you all like it.  In this weeks edition, I sat down with Justin Klugh, Senior Editor of That Balls Outta Here (our Fansided Phils blog).  The basic goal of this is to get a better understanding of each other’s team…..however, this time it got a little more personal.  We have history with the Phillies, and in those history books it shows them crushing us in the NLDS back in 2008.  Don’t think that Justin did not blast me about it either…….’cause he did.  Check out my answers to his questions here.  You won’t want to miss my answer to number 4, it’s a good one. 

So, without further adieu……..It’s Always Sunny For Phillies Fans

1)  Do Phillies fans feel like Ben Francisco and Raul Ibanez are the right guys in the outfield to bring Philly another title?

JK:   Ha, ha, whoa.  Slow down there, buddy.  If anybody is bringing another title to Philly, those bodies aren’t in the outfield.  They’re on the mound, one at a time; and when they’re not there, they’re bowhunting bull elk in the Yukon. 

When you look at Raul and Ben, you think, “Hmmm,” not “WORLD SERIES TITLE YEAH.”  Sometimes its “HmmmMMM!!!” and sometimes its “Hmmm…. ?” but any major success achieved by either will be a nice suprise.  They’re probably both capable of timely hot streaks.  But they’re also both capable of pop-ups and GIDP’s galore.  So, you know.  What was the question.

2)  It sounds like the Oswalt injury is nothing serious, but what do you think would be the back-up plan if one of the “4 Horseman” went down for an extended period of time?Oswalt2)  It sounds like the recent injury to

JK:  Season forfeit, blow up the stadium.
 
3)  How do you feel about the job Wilson Valdez has done in place of Chase Utley?

JK:   I’ve answered this question many times, and I’ve got to say the level of disrespect Wilson Valdez gets is truly disgusting.  He is an above average defender, a below average hitter, and he’s gone through his whole life looking like a dazed goat, so I think he’s doing just fine.

4)  This is a selfish question, but do you think that Cliff Lee’s off-season decision to come play again in Philly, for less money than other offers, will have an impact on how other players will view free-agency going forward (Prince Fielder)?

JK: You know who had an impact on free agency with their offseason dealings?  Jayson Werth.  He hits the market as a strong five-tool player at just the right time–when the Nationals are looking to suck in some some talent like a black hole that also barfs money.  He gets his $126 million and suddenly Carl Crawford is worth exactly $147 million or whatever to the Red Sox. 

Cliff is a different breed of person and a different breed of player.  There will be others like him someday, but you can’t find that mentality and talent in too many other players, especially pitchers.  We would know.  Because they’d be playing for us by now. 

So when a guy like Prince Fielder hits the market, why the hell won’t he just follow the money?  It doesn’t make him a bad person.  It just makes him a guy who wants money.  Cliff is, based on his talent and attitude, able to pick where he wants to play first and know he’ll be set up for life regardless.
 
5)  Where do you rank Carlos Ruiz amongst NL catchers, both fielding the position and at the plate?  (Ruiz is probably my favorite Phil)

JK: I swear to god if Chooch keeps this up and we still see Brian McCann behind the plate at the All-Star game I will shit a duck.  The guy catches the best pitchers in the game, and they love pitching to him.  Are there other catchers out there with a (identical copy of a) Cy Young Award?  He needs to just keep chooching out that offense and he’ll eventually get beyond the NL’s best kept catching secret.
 
6)  Who is the key for the Phillies in this series?  Every series has to have one guy step up and take over, who will that be for the Phillies over the next 3 games.

JK: Chase Utley.  Its like come on, get over it already.

     Well, that is what he had to say about his amazing team.  This was a lot of fun and something that I am going to continue to do.  Make sure and check out my answers to his questions.  

     Game one of this 3-game series begins tonight, with Shaun Marcum dueling it out with Joe (5th Wheel) Blanton.  Sounds like Carols Gomez is getting another start and LaTroy Hawkins is supposedly with the team in Philly.  That can only mean that he is ready to get back into the bullpen…….this is not going to end well.  

     Enjoy the game everyone, and make sure to send out the positive vibes.

     Until next time, the Phillies suck .