BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Marlon Byrd denies Phillies are old: ‘We can still play’

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Sunday, January 26, 2014

Marlon Byrd denies Phillies are old: ‘We can still play’

“The horror…the horror ...”

He can still be productive at 36, and he made sense for a team that needed right-handed power, better outfield defense and a contract that wouldn’t further mortgage the future.

“All of us do. You keep hearing old, old, old ... we’re not an old team,” Byrd said. “We can still play. Once you can’t play, then you’re old. We still have a lot in the tank, we just to have to show that and stay healthy.

“If I was a fan I’d rather have Robinson Cano, I’d rather have [Masahiro] Tanaka. I want those guys. Ruben [Amaro Jr.] wants the guys who he thought would help his team.

“And until we get on the field and actually get to show it ... the fan base is kinda looking at this team like, ‘In two years we need to get back to the promised land, we need 10 Robinson Canos. We need the best lineup and a whole staff full of Tanakas.’

“I think they’ll be happy once we get on the field and start to produce.”

Repoz Posted: January 26, 2014 at 09:36 AM | 28 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: phillies

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1. PASTE, Now with Extra Pitch and Extra Stamina Posted: January 26, 2014 at 09:50 AM (#4646420)

Sure, they can still play. They'll play a major league schedule this year and win about 68 games, which isn't totally embarrassing. It will make them something like the 25th-best baseball team in the world. They can play.

2. jdennis Posted: January 26, 2014 at 10:06 AM (#4646426)

"We don't need these young whipper snappers like the Yankees"

3. 2 dudes are better than STIGGLES; i'm both of em Posted: January 26, 2014 at 10:20 AM (#4646429)

fun fact:
phillies starting CF ben revere now has 1400 ML plate appearances and has not hit a single HR.

4. Heinie Mantush (Krusty) Posted: January 26, 2014 at 10:28 AM (#4646430)

Ben Revere hit 305 and managed to have a 92 OPS+. That's a little like when Adam Dunn hit 40 HR and didn't manage a 500 SLG, only much worse.

I actually like watching Ben Revere play. His speed is a joy to watch. Is there any even semi-regular player in MLB with less game power?

5. JLAC is engulfed in a harmless burst of flame Posted: January 26, 2014 at 10:42 AM (#4646434)

Yes, or there was last year... Munenori Kawasaki.

6. Joey B. is counting the days to Trea Turner Posted: January 26, 2014 at 10:51 AM (#4646436)

"He's not dead, he's just pining for the fjords!"

7. Voros McCracken of Pinkus Posted: January 26, 2014 at 11:19 AM (#4646446)

Byrd then told the reporter to get off his lawn.

8. Long Time Listener, First Time Caller Posted: January 26, 2014 at 12:05 PM (#4646464)

Well, I suppose if you decide you can redefine universally accepted terminology, you'll never have to admit to being anything.

9. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: January 26, 2014 at 12:41 PM (#4646476)

fun fact:
phillies starting CF ben revere now has 1400 ML plate appearances and has not hit a single HR.

he still has a ways to go to become the all-time leader

10. Greg K Posted: January 26, 2014 at 01:06 PM (#4646479)

he still has a ways to go to become the all-time leader

That's weird. Tim Johnson specifically told me he hit a major league home run.

11. Ray (RDP)

Posted: January 26, 2014 at 01:36 PM (#4646485)

#4 Boggs had a couple years towards the end of his career where he hit .300 with a sub-100 OPS+, prompting Baseball Prospectus to write "Boggs is beginning to test the limits of getting on base." At age 38 a .311 year managed just a 98 OPS+, and at 41 he finished respectably with a .301 average which netted just a 94 OPS+.

Garret Anderson at age 25 hit .303 with a 92 OPS+.

The winner has to be Juan Pierre at age 23 hitting .327 with an 89 OPS+ (in Colorado). Pierre had two other .300/sub100 seasons.

I'm sure someone could make a list.

12. Gazizza, my Dilznoofuses! Posted: January 26, 2014 at 01:58 PM (#4646493)

"It's just a little airborne! It's still good, it's still good!"

13. cardsfanboy

Posted: January 26, 2014 at 02:09 PM (#4646495)

The winner has to be Juan Pierre at age 23 hitting .327 with an 89 OPS+ (in Colorado). Pierre had two other .300/sub100 seasons.

There are 85 players who have hit over .300 and posted less than a 95 ops+ while qualifying for the batting title.

Juan Pierre has the highest batting average on that list with his .327, the lowest ops+ was 77 by a 1930 player named Lance Richbourg. (If you change the criteria to less than 100 ops+, you have Pinky Whitney in 1930 with a .342 avg and an ops+ of 98) you also get 166 seasons.

This will take you to that report. Batting average greater than .300, with ops+ less than 99, qualifying for batting title.

14. cardsfanboy

Posted: January 26, 2014 at 02:12 PM (#4646498)

Rk                   Yrs From   To                Age
                                                     
1         Doc Cramer   5 1937 1943 31-37 Ind. Seasons
2      Luis Castillo   4 1999 2009 23-33 Ind. Seasons
3        Ethan Allen   3 1928 1937 24-33 Ind. Seasons
4         Buddy Myer   3 1926 1930 22-26 Ind. Seasons
5      George Sisler   3 1924 1930 31-37 Ind. Seasons
6      Hank Severeid   3 1921 1924 30-33 Ind. Seasons
7     Stuffy McInnis   3 1921 1923 30-32 Ind. Seasons
8        Juan Pierre   2 2001 2003 23-25 Ind. Seasons
9     Ivan Rodriguez   2 1995 2006 23-34 Ind. Seasons
10     Damaso Garcia   2 1982 1983 25-26 Ind. Seasons
11       Don Mueller   2 1953 1955 26-28 Ind. Seasons
12      Rip Radcliff   2 1938 1941 32-35 Ind. Seasons
13       George Case   2 1938 1939 22-23 Ind. Seasons
14     Buddy Hassett   2 1937 1939 25-27 Ind. Seasons
15   Lance Richbourg   2 1929 1930 31-32 Ind. Seasons
16      Dick Bartell   2 1929 1934 21-26 Ind. Seasons
17     Pinky Whitney   2 1928 1930 23-25 Ind. Seasons
18       Walt French   2 1926 1927 26-27 Ind. Seasons
19       Lew Fonseca   2 1925 1927 26-28 Ind. Seasons
20      Walter Holke   2 1923 1924 30-31 Ind. Seasons
21      Babe Pinelli   2 1922 1924 26-28 Ind. Seasons 

List of guys who have done it 2 or more times in their careers. (the full list is 135 guys.)

15. Bug Selig Posted: January 26, 2014 at 02:14 PM (#4646500)

That's weird. Tim Johnson specifically told me he hit a major league home run.

I see what you did there.

16. Proo Posted: January 26, 2014 at 04:08 PM (#4646521)

@14: As expected, lots of players from the '20s and '30s. Damaso Garcia must have been a pretty special player to pull it off twice in the early '80s.

17. GGIAS (aka Poster Nutbag) Posted: January 26, 2014 at 04:23 PM (#4646524)

Byrd is certain the Phillies will lead the league in Round Win%. He's sure they can win the championship in their league.

18. Howie Menckel Posted: January 26, 2014 at 04:59 PM (#4646539)

From No. 9, the leader got 701 PA as a pure rookie in 1930 at age 27, leaving him 2 behind leader Lou Gehrig and 1 ahead of 3rd-place Charlie Gehringer. Oliver played in all 154 games in CF, and finished all but one of them. This with a 79 OPS+. It's a wonder the Red Sox went 52-102 that year.

in 1931, after a 78 OPS+ in 148 games, Oliver even got an MVP vote (!)

19. vortex of dissipation Posted: January 26, 2014 at 07:23 PM (#4646561)

The one thing I know about Oliver is that he had a reputation as an exceptional defensive centerfielder.

20. valuearbitrageur Posted: January 26, 2014 at 07:48 PM (#4646564)

At age 38 a .311 year managed just a 98 OPS+, and at 41 he finished respectably with a .301 average which netted just a 94 OPS+.

But he also walked, age 38 OBP was .386 with a league average of .350 so his OPS+ was deceptive. wRC+ has him as an above average hitter that year at 103, and 97 his final year.

21. Chris Fluit Posted: January 27, 2014 at 12:40 AM (#4646616)

Thanks for the chart, cards fanboy. I thought the black ink was pretty interesting. A couple of players did lead the league in hits (Doc Cramer and Nellie Fox) or other useful categories (like triples or hit by pitch), but the columns with the most black ink were sacrifice hits plus the stolen base/caught stealing combo (both separately and together).

22. bobm Posted: January 27, 2014 at 01:07 AM (#4646623)

Forget WAR, WAA, and WARP. The Phillies aim to lead the league in AARP. :-)

23. Dale Sams Posted: January 27, 2014 at 09:10 AM (#4646660)

Once you can’t play, then you’re old. We still have a lot in the tank, we just to have to show that and stay healthy.

So, Byrd...you WERE old in Boston, then you got cut, and then suspended...and now you aren't old.

Can I see that tank real quick?

24. Edmundo got dem ol' Kozma blues again mama

Posted: January 27, 2014 at 09:58 AM (#4646681)

Nice one, bobm.

25. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: January 27, 2014 at 10:45 AM (#4646699)

I actually like watching Ben Revere play. His speed is a joy to watch. Is there any even semi-regular player in MLB with less game power?

Jason Tyner was at least a semi-regular in both 2001 and 2007, and he's got about as little power as anyone I've ever seen. One home run in 1,467 ML PA.

In 2001, he put up a .280 BA... and a 71 OPS+.

26. Rickey! No. You move. Posted: January 27, 2014 at 11:05 AM (#4646712)

I have little doubt that the Phillies would absolutely dominate my beer league.

27. DA Baracus Posted: January 27, 2014 at 11:10 AM (#4646716)

If I was a fan I’d rather have Robinson Cano, I’d rather have [Masahiro] Tanaka. I want those guys. Ruben [Amaro Jr.] wants the guys who he thought would help his team.

He stumbled upon a pretty apt description.

28. Accent Shallow is on swiftly tilting planet Posted: January 27, 2014 at 11:15 AM (#4646720)

I have little doubt that the Phillies would absolutely dominate my beer league.

At least if you have some lefties, you could probably neutralize Ryan Howard.

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Sunday, January 26, 2014

Marlon Byrd denies Phillies are old: ‘We can still play’

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