It's important to remember this - the players are neither chess pieces to be used/sacrificed, nor automatons that can be expected to always perform to statistical levels - they're young men, with assorted personal histories, with personal/family lives, challenges, problems, etc. How often have we seen a fan bluster, "they're professionals; they should be able to put that aside and do their jobs" - as if professionals in any other field, or blue-collar workers in any field, can simply compartmentalize their lives, and keep all personal stresses out of workplace performance (or workplace stresses out of their personal lives!). It cannot always be done - not by human beings.
To the extent that we talk about the players as if they were just resources/commodities/chess pieces, it might be good to remember that philliesphans has been privileged to count among our members several family members of Phillies prospects or players - parents, siblings, etc. One or two prospects themselves have registered. As a rule, these folks don't post much, but they read what we're saying about their sons or brothers (or themselves).
Mvpsoft used to characterize what he was after here as the equivalent of his living room, where a group of fans could congregate and talk about the Phillies (and other things). It's not a bad metaphor; just remember that the nice woman sitting in the love seat in the corner, taking it all in, might well be the mother or sister of the player you're discussing. 
