Paul Hagen nailed it today:
The Phillies' rotation has begun to resemble a game of Pop-A-Mole.
Just when one concern seems to be hammered into submission - that would be Cole Hamels - another jumps up to demand their attention. Now it's Cliff Lee.
Perfect analogy. Just when you think the Red Sox can cruise into the Wild Card after winning a series in Tampa, they get drubbed 12-2 against the White Sox, reducing their lead to two games. Just when you think Josh Beckett has a chance at the Cy Young, he enters a month-long funk. Just when you think Ruben Amaro was a visionary for signing Raul Ibanez over Pat Burrell, the werewolf disappears in the second half. (OK, the bulldog still hasn't done much either.)
But you get the point. It's impossible to be steady in this game and, although I've done a much better job of keeping my emotions in check since 2004, it's also the biggest struggle of a fan. You have to remember the cliches that it's a long season and today is never as good, nor as bad, as it seems.
Wait, check that. A FanGraphs blog has found the epitome of consistency, and he mans third base for your hometown Phightin' Phils. The forgotten Pedro, not Martinez but Feliz, has had a very stable OPS in recent years: .709 in 2006; .708 in 2007; .705 in 2008; and .706 so far this year. You can go back one more year to include 2005's .717. And, in those five years his OPS+ (some sort of stadium-adjusted measurement against league averages) has remained between 79 and 85.
Interesting. My favorite thing about Feliz was from before I retired from fantasy baseball (and long before he was a Phillie). He was a solid player, but for fantasy purposes, he was eligible at third, first, outfield and, in some years, shortstop.
Enjoy the day. Tim Wakefield looks to steady the boat against the White Sox this afternoon, while Joe Blanton tries to keep his head underground and away from the mallet against the Astros tonight.
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