The List of the Departed Continues to Grow

Another key piece to the Phillies' run of four straight National League East titles will be moving onward. According to CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury, Phillies first base coach Davey Lopes will not be returning for the 2011 season. Lopes and the Phillies are far apart in a dispute over compensation, according to Lopes.

"We just had a difference of opinion on what I felt my worth was. That's all," Lopes told Salisbury. "It was a really tough decision because I loved my time in Philadelphia, I loved working for [manager] Charlie Manuel, and I have the utmost respect for everyone in that organization."

Lopes, widely considered a base stealing guru, helped the Phillies excel on the base paths during his four-year tenure coaching first base with the team. In each season with Lopes guiding their runners, the Phillies led the National League in stolen base percentage.

Lopes led the NL in stolen bases twice during his playing days in Los Angeles, in 1975 and 1976 and swiped 557 bags during his regular season Major League career. Lopes ranks second in Dodgers history in stolen bases, behind only Maury Wills.

Lopes, who lives in California says he will seek work with a team on the west
coast.

"I’m hoping something pops up. If I’m not in uniform next year, it
won’t be much fun," Lopes said.

Other 2010 Phillies who will be parting ways with the club, as they
approach free agency five days after the World Series ends, are JC Romero, who had his 2011 club option declined last week, Jamie Moyer, whose contract was through the 2010 season, Greg Dobbs, who elected for free agency last week, and of course Jayson Werth, who will be one of the hottest free agents on the market this off-season.

__________________________________________________________

Be sure to follow PhoulBallz.com on Twitter by clicking HERE.

Comments

Jealous Ones Envy

Joe Blanton continues to excel and prove his worth in the Phillies pitching rotation. In his latest outing on Sunday, Blanton threw 8 strong innings, striking out 6, while walking just 1 and surrendering 2 earned runs, improving his record to 7-4. This season in July, Joe is 3-0 over four starts with 22 K's, 5 walks and a 1.21 ERA. Over his last 6 starts, Joe's ERA is 1.94. As a member of the Phillies, Blanton has a 3.84 ERA after the all star break with a 5-0 record. The Phillies are 20-12 (.625 winning percentage) in games that Blanton has started, since being acquired last July. Combined this season against other National League playoff contenders St. Louis, Chicago and Los Angeles, Blanton has a combined 1.67 ERA in 4 starts with a 2-0 record. Blanton is on such a sizzling run that the Bowling Green Hot Rods, a Tampa Bay Rays farm team, will host a Joe Blanton bobble head give away tomorrow. Bowling Green will host Joe's mother, father and sister for the event, as Joe...

Sunday School: Phillies History Lesson 71

Gene Kelly was the radio voice of the Philadelphia Phillies from 1950- 1959. Born in Brooklyn NY, Kelly pitched in the minor leagues after graduating from Marshall College in 1941. He would soon experience arm trouble, which ended his playing days. Kelly managed to continue a career in sports by turning to radio. When legendary announcer By Saam, who pulled double duty beginning in 1939 calling both Phillies and Athletics games, moved over to the A's side exclusively, Gene Kelly was the man who would fill the void and took over as the Phillies play-by-play man. The Phillies began broadcasting their games over the air in 1936, but until the 1950's, the broadcasters only attended home games and did not travel with the team. All road games were recreated, on the air, by the announcers who read a Western Union teletype account of the games from the studio in Philadelphia. During the decade of the 50's, Kelly was partnered with several different broadcasters, including Claude Ha...

Heroes- Fight of the Century

VS. It's a big day for your boy, Jay Ballz . No work, X-Men Origins: Wolverine premieres, our Phillies face the Metropolitans for the first time this season and tailgating for BOTH doesn't sound all that absurd to me. Anyway, I surveyed some qualified phans and got several opinions on how exactly a fight might go down if the mutant hero Wolverine faced off against Phillies hero Matt Stairs. Well known blogger, Chris, of I've Made a Huge Tiny Mistake , kept it real and said the following- "Wolverine has adamantium ( indestructible metal substance) claws, so that's a great advantage. Stairs' Wonder Bat is neutralized there. See, the problem becomes Wolverine's ability to recover (he has a regenerative power) faster. Stairs is merely human. Sure, he has a goatee, and goatees are great, but they're great for saving sauce, not for defeating mutants. I think Wolverine takes it in a fight to the death in about 15 minutes because Stairs simply doesn'...

PhoulBallz.com

Search This Blog