Game Recap:
After five failed attempts, Jamie Moyer finally got his 250th career win, as he pitched six strong innings to take down the Nationals.
What went right?
Jamie Moyer looked sharper than he has in over a month, picking up his 250th career win by throwing six innings of one run baseball. He allowed just three hits and struck out four while walking none.
Brad Lidge picked up his third straight 1-2-3 save.
Chris Coste was 2-2 with a home run and two walks.
Chase Utley was 2-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Ryan Howard went 1-3 with a triple(!) and an RBI.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins went 0-5.
Jayson Werth was 0-3.
Game Analysis:
After a month of trying, Jamie Moyer was finally able to pick up his 250th career win. In doing so, he became just the 11th left hander in major league history to win 250 games, putting him in elite company. Not only that, but he looked better than he has in over a month, and he was finally able to put everything together again. In his last two starts, Moyer has looked good, but the problem has been the number of hits allowed. Even though he'd only allowed seven runs in his last two starts up to today, he'd allowed 16 hits in that time. Today, he gave up just three hits in his six innings and didn't walk a single batter. That is the Jamie Moyer from last season that won 16 games and helped the Phillies win the World Series. Without Brett Myers, the Phils are going to need that Moyer back again.
There is very little that can be said that went wrong in this series against Washington. Sure, it was against the Nationals, but as I keep saying, the good teams are supposed to beat the bad teams. The Phillies are the defending champions, and the Nationals are in the running for the top draft pick every year, so a sweep is what is supposed to happen. The offense came up with big hits throughout the series, and the bullpen was solid once again, especially Brad Lidge. I don't know where this Brad Lidge has been all season, but I like the guy that gets saves without having to face many batters. This no stress way of saving games is very nice, and I'd like it to continue.
Once again, congrats to Jamie Moyer for picking up his 250th career win. Only 44 people in history have that many wins, and it's always nice to see another Phillie get added to the list.
Tomorrow, the Phils start their West Coast road trip, with each game starting at...10:05? Lucky for me, I don't have work for the next three days, so I can watch each game without threat of sleep deprivation. Joe Blanton (3-3, 6.14 ERA) goes against Kevin Correia (1-3, 5.11 ERA).
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Phillie of the Week: May 23-30
The Phillies had a good week, going 4-2 since the last Phillie of the Week, and this time, it's not going to be Raul Ibanez. This week's Phillie of the Week is:
Ryan Howard
The big man had an excellent week, batting .346 with two doubles, four runs scored, nine RBI and four home runs, including his third grand slam of the season yesterday night against the Nationals. With that slam, Howard passed Mike Schmidt for most career grand slams by a Phillie. With the top of the lineup getting into a groove, Howard should continue to put up big numbers the rest of the season.
Ryan Howard
The big man had an excellent week, batting .346 with two doubles, four runs scored, nine RBI and four home runs, including his third grand slam of the season yesterday night against the Nationals. With that slam, Howard passed Mike Schmidt for most career grand slams by a Phillie. With the top of the lineup getting into a groove, Howard should continue to put up big numbers the rest of the season.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Phillies Recap: Phillies-9, Nationals-6
Game Recap:
Cole Hamels wasn't at his best, but Ryan Howard's two home runs and three Washington errors were enough for the Phillies to win their ninth game of the year against the Nationals.
What went right?
Ryan Howard went off tonight, going 2-5 with five RBI and two home runs, including a grand slam that reached the third deck at Citizens Bank Park and gave him the Philadelphia record for grand slams in a career.
Jimmy Rollins was 2-5 with a run scored, a stolen base and an RBI.
Shane Victorino was 2-4 with two runs scored.
Carlos Ruiz went 1-2 with a walk, and he scored twice.
Cole Hamels wasn't great, but he picked up his third win of the season, going six innings. He allowed six runs on eight hits and struck out seven.
What went wrong?
Raul Ibanez went 0-5.
Jayson Werth went 1-5 with two strikeouts.
The Phillies left nine men on base.
Game Analysis:
Maybe the Phillies should just play the Nationals every night. Even though the games are close, the Phils always seem to come out on top, as was the case again tonight. It's safe to say Ryan Howard is going to be haunting Shairon Martis' dreams for about the next week, because that grand slam he hit might actually be orbiting the Earth right now. Either way, it's nice to see the offense pick up Cole Hamels when he's not at his best.
The star of the night has to be Ryan Howard. The big man picked up five RBI on the night with two more home runs, and brought two more home on an error in the sixth inning that gave the Phillies a little more breathing room for the rest of the game. Sure, the Phils weren't at their best tonight, but Hamels pitched well enough to win, and the offense brought in nine runs on ten hits and three Washington errors, and that should be enough to win every night. Even though Cole's ERA is back up over five, I'm not worried about him. Even the best have off nights every now and then, and the Nationals almost always hit the Phillies hard, as I mentioned last night, so this is just another game that ended in a win for the World Series MVP.
Aside from Hamels and Howard, it was a positive night. The Phillies stole five bases, took advantage of the errors by the Nationals, and Brad Lidge got a double play to record his second straight 1-2-3 ninth inning. Like I said at the start of this...if the Phils got to play Washington for the rest of the season, I wouldn't complain, as they're supposed to win these games.
Tomorrow, the Phillies close out the series with Jamie Moyer (3-5, 7.42 ERA) going against John Lannon (2-4, 4.11 ERA). Hopefully, Moyer can pick up his 250th win tomorrow. Go Phils!
Cole Hamels wasn't at his best, but Ryan Howard's two home runs and three Washington errors were enough for the Phillies to win their ninth game of the year against the Nationals.
What went right?
Ryan Howard went off tonight, going 2-5 with five RBI and two home runs, including a grand slam that reached the third deck at Citizens Bank Park and gave him the Philadelphia record for grand slams in a career.
Jimmy Rollins was 2-5 with a run scored, a stolen base and an RBI.
Shane Victorino was 2-4 with two runs scored.
Carlos Ruiz went 1-2 with a walk, and he scored twice.
Cole Hamels wasn't great, but he picked up his third win of the season, going six innings. He allowed six runs on eight hits and struck out seven.
What went wrong?
Raul Ibanez went 0-5.
Jayson Werth went 1-5 with two strikeouts.
The Phillies left nine men on base.
Game Analysis:
Maybe the Phillies should just play the Nationals every night. Even though the games are close, the Phils always seem to come out on top, as was the case again tonight. It's safe to say Ryan Howard is going to be haunting Shairon Martis' dreams for about the next week, because that grand slam he hit might actually be orbiting the Earth right now. Either way, it's nice to see the offense pick up Cole Hamels when he's not at his best.
The star of the night has to be Ryan Howard. The big man picked up five RBI on the night with two more home runs, and brought two more home on an error in the sixth inning that gave the Phillies a little more breathing room for the rest of the game. Sure, the Phils weren't at their best tonight, but Hamels pitched well enough to win, and the offense brought in nine runs on ten hits and three Washington errors, and that should be enough to win every night. Even though Cole's ERA is back up over five, I'm not worried about him. Even the best have off nights every now and then, and the Nationals almost always hit the Phillies hard, as I mentioned last night, so this is just another game that ended in a win for the World Series MVP.
Aside from Hamels and Howard, it was a positive night. The Phillies stole five bases, took advantage of the errors by the Nationals, and Brad Lidge got a double play to record his second straight 1-2-3 ninth inning. Like I said at the start of this...if the Phils got to play Washington for the rest of the season, I wouldn't complain, as they're supposed to win these games.
Tomorrow, the Phillies close out the series with Jamie Moyer (3-5, 7.42 ERA) going against John Lannon (2-4, 4.11 ERA). Hopefully, Moyer can pick up his 250th win tomorrow. Go Phils!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Eddie Jordan Hired as New 76ers Coach
According to the fine people at ESPN, as well as those at Comcast SportsNet, Eddie Jordan has been hired to be the next head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers. While there don't seem to be any details on the deal, Jordan's already getting paid $4 million by the Washington Wizards next season to not coach them, and they have to make up the difference on his new contract, so the Sixers might be getting him to coach for little to no money out of their checkbooks next season.
While some people would have probably liked to see Jeff Van Gundy or Avery Johnson pick up this job, the writing was on the wall. Jordan was one of only two candidates to have a second interview with Ed Stefanski, and worked with the Sixers' GM when they were both part of the New Jersey Nets. It should be interesting to see if Jordan can be the guy that gets the Sixers over the .500 mark and into at least the second round of the playoffs. My hopes aren't that high for the Sixers next season, but at least now they have a man in charge, even though his career record is well under .500. Now it's time to wait and see what happens.
I'll post more on this as I find out more.
While some people would have probably liked to see Jeff Van Gundy or Avery Johnson pick up this job, the writing was on the wall. Jordan was one of only two candidates to have a second interview with Ed Stefanski, and worked with the Sixers' GM when they were both part of the New Jersey Nets. It should be interesting to see if Jordan can be the guy that gets the Sixers over the .500 mark and into at least the second round of the playoffs. My hopes aren't that high for the Sixers next season, but at least now they have a man in charge, even though his career record is well under .500. Now it's time to wait and see what happens.
I'll post more on this as I find out more.
Phillies Recap: Phillies-5, Nationals-4
Game Recap:
J.A. Happ looked sharp in 5 and 1-3rd innings of work and the Phillies pounded out 16 hits to take down the Nationals once again.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 2-5 with a run scored and a stolen base.
Shane Victorino was 4-5 with a run scored.
Chase Utley went 1-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
Raul Ibanez went 2-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
Carlos Ruiz 2-2 with an RBI.
Pedro Feliz was 2-4 with an RBI.
J.A. Happ pitched 5 and 1-3rd innings, striking out five while walking three and allowing three runs.
Brad Lidge struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his 10th save.
What went wrong?
Chad Durbin made the sixth inning interesting, allowing three runs to score, though two was charged to Happ. He allowed two hits and struck out one.
Honestly, that's about it.
Game Analysis:
This was one of those games that was a lot closer than it felt. Every Phillies starter had a hit, while the Nationals managed just six in the game. The table setters of Rollins, Victorino and Utley were much better tonight, and it showed, as each one scored. Raul Ibanez also managed to pull himself up tonight, driving in two. Plus, J.A. Happ looked solid again, and with Brett Myers now getting surgery on his hip, Happ has quickly become one of the top starters. He's going to need to keep pitching like this, and eventually deeper into games, as the season goes on. For now, as long as he gets to the sixth inning, I'll be happy.
The more important thing tonight was that Brad Lidge was able to record a 1-2-3 ninth inning. Going into the ninth inning, I wasn't sure that I wanted Lidge out there with just a one run lead, but he proved the doubters wrong tonight, picking up two strikeouts, and looking much better. If he can even get close to the way he was pitching last season, the Phils will be just fine coming out of the bullpen. Ryan Madson pitched out of some trouble in the eighth, which is exactly what he's supposed to do, and with J.C. Romero coming back in just four games, the bullpen is looking good right about now.
For some reason, the Nationals always play the Phillies close, and I'm not sure why. When one team picks up 16 hits, and the other only six, the game should be a blowout, not a 5-4 nail biter. As long as the Phillies keep winning though, everything is just fine with me. They've got to beat the bad teams to pad their record, then claw it out with the tougher ones. As long as they can beat the Nats, I don't care what the score is.
Tomorrow, Cole Hamels (2-2, 4.68 ERA) looks to continue the Phillies' domination over Washington as he faces off against Shairon Martis (5-0, 4.86 ERA). Go Phils!
J.A. Happ looked sharp in 5 and 1-3rd innings of work and the Phillies pounded out 16 hits to take down the Nationals once again.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 2-5 with a run scored and a stolen base.
Shane Victorino was 4-5 with a run scored.
Chase Utley went 1-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
Raul Ibanez went 2-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
Carlos Ruiz 2-2 with an RBI.
Pedro Feliz was 2-4 with an RBI.
J.A. Happ pitched 5 and 1-3rd innings, striking out five while walking three and allowing three runs.
Brad Lidge struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his 10th save.
What went wrong?
Chad Durbin made the sixth inning interesting, allowing three runs to score, though two was charged to Happ. He allowed two hits and struck out one.
Honestly, that's about it.
Game Analysis:
This was one of those games that was a lot closer than it felt. Every Phillies starter had a hit, while the Nationals managed just six in the game. The table setters of Rollins, Victorino and Utley were much better tonight, and it showed, as each one scored. Raul Ibanez also managed to pull himself up tonight, driving in two. Plus, J.A. Happ looked solid again, and with Brett Myers now getting surgery on his hip, Happ has quickly become one of the top starters. He's going to need to keep pitching like this, and eventually deeper into games, as the season goes on. For now, as long as he gets to the sixth inning, I'll be happy.
The more important thing tonight was that Brad Lidge was able to record a 1-2-3 ninth inning. Going into the ninth inning, I wasn't sure that I wanted Lidge out there with just a one run lead, but he proved the doubters wrong tonight, picking up two strikeouts, and looking much better. If he can even get close to the way he was pitching last season, the Phils will be just fine coming out of the bullpen. Ryan Madson pitched out of some trouble in the eighth, which is exactly what he's supposed to do, and with J.C. Romero coming back in just four games, the bullpen is looking good right about now.
For some reason, the Nationals always play the Phillies close, and I'm not sure why. When one team picks up 16 hits, and the other only six, the game should be a blowout, not a 5-4 nail biter. As long as the Phillies keep winning though, everything is just fine with me. They've got to beat the bad teams to pad their record, then claw it out with the tougher ones. As long as they can beat the Nats, I don't care what the score is.
Tomorrow, Cole Hamels (2-2, 4.68 ERA) looks to continue the Phillies' domination over Washington as he faces off against Shairon Martis (5-0, 4.86 ERA). Go Phils!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Brett Myers likely to have surgery that would end his season.
Bad news out from the Phillies today. According to team sources, Brett Myers has a serious hip issue that will require surgery. How long would he be out? The rest of the year, according to Phillies.com.
Ugh, this is the worst news we could get on an off day. With the starting rotation just now getting to high gear, the best pitcher the Phillies have had so far this year probably won't be there the rest of the season. It sounds like Myers needs a little bit more extensive surgery than what Chase Utley had during the offseason, and if that's the case, we might see you in 2010, Brett. He thinks he can pitch through it, but I'd rather he just get the surgery and come back ready for next season, even though this is his free agent year. If this means the Phillies can get him back next year for cheaper, then I'm all for it.
However, this has big implications for the Phillies this season. It looks like Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ and Cole Hamels are set in the rotation for now. With Myers needing this surgery, he's going to be replaced more than likely with Chan Ho Park. The only problem is that Jamie Moyer has been horrible so far, and if he needs to be replaced, where do the Phils look? Kyle Drabek is at least a year away from being close to ready, and Carlos Carrasco hasn't even gotten a win so far this year at Triple A. This means that the Phils are going to have to look outside the team for a possible replacement, and the obvious name is Jake Peavy. Peavy has a no trade clause in his contract, and I don't think he wants to come to an east coast team other than the Braves, but maybe the fact that the Phils are the World Series Champions might be enough for him to look at us a little bit differently. I'm not saying it's going to happen, but if the Phillies were able to get it done, I would love Ruben Amaro. If it can't get done, they'll have to look elsewhere, and would probably bring in someone like Joe Blanton, which wouldn't be a horrible thing, but someone like that isn't Brett Myers.
I hate hearing this news, especially after last year was so injury free. I just hope Myers can recover from this and come back healthy, either this year or next year with a cheaper contract. Either way, this isn't good at this point and time, and the season may hinge on how the Phillies decide to handle this.
Phillies.com: Myers likely to have hip surgery
Ugh, this is the worst news we could get on an off day. With the starting rotation just now getting to high gear, the best pitcher the Phillies have had so far this year probably won't be there the rest of the season. It sounds like Myers needs a little bit more extensive surgery than what Chase Utley had during the offseason, and if that's the case, we might see you in 2010, Brett. He thinks he can pitch through it, but I'd rather he just get the surgery and come back ready for next season, even though this is his free agent year. If this means the Phillies can get him back next year for cheaper, then I'm all for it.
However, this has big implications for the Phillies this season. It looks like Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ and Cole Hamels are set in the rotation for now. With Myers needing this surgery, he's going to be replaced more than likely with Chan Ho Park. The only problem is that Jamie Moyer has been horrible so far, and if he needs to be replaced, where do the Phils look? Kyle Drabek is at least a year away from being close to ready, and Carlos Carrasco hasn't even gotten a win so far this year at Triple A. This means that the Phils are going to have to look outside the team for a possible replacement, and the obvious name is Jake Peavy. Peavy has a no trade clause in his contract, and I don't think he wants to come to an east coast team other than the Braves, but maybe the fact that the Phils are the World Series Champions might be enough for him to look at us a little bit differently. I'm not saying it's going to happen, but if the Phillies were able to get it done, I would love Ruben Amaro. If it can't get done, they'll have to look elsewhere, and would probably bring in someone like Joe Blanton, which wouldn't be a horrible thing, but someone like that isn't Brett Myers.
I hate hearing this news, especially after last year was so injury free. I just hope Myers can recover from this and come back healthy, either this year or next year with a cheaper contract. Either way, this isn't good at this point and time, and the season may hinge on how the Phillies decide to handle this.
Phillies.com: Myers likely to have hip surgery
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Phillies Recap: Marlins-6, Phillies-2
Game Recap:
Brett Myers didn't have his best stuff, and fell behind early before leaving with a hip injury. Despite two late comeback attempts by the Phillies, the Marlins were able to coast to a 6-2 win and a series win.
What went right?
Carlos Ruiz was 1-4 with his second home run of the season.
Ryan Howard was 2-4.
Matt Stairs was 1-1 with a pinch hit home run and a walk.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino and Chase Utley, AKA: The Top of the Lineup, went a combined 1-11 with two walks.
Raul Ibanez went 0-4 with two strikeouts.
Brett Myers lasted only 5 and 2-3rds innings before leaving with a hip injury. While he was in there, he allowed five runs on seven hits, while striking out three and walking one. He also allowed two more home runs.
The Phillies left eight men on base, including five in the final two innings.
Game Analysis:
Just not a good game tonight from any perspective for the Phillies. Brett Myers looked sharp for a few innings, then started getting knocked around in the fourth. By the middle of the sixth inning, he was gone with a hip injury, and the Phils were in a hole that they wouldn't be able to climb out of. The only thing I can find now is that Myers left with "right hip inflammation." I'm not exactly sure how severe something like that is, but for a pitcher, both hips need to be as close to 100% as possible, so this isn't good news for Brett. Hopefully he can avoid time on the DL, since that would mean the return of Chan Ho Park to the rotation, but right now, I don't think anyone knows what's going to happen. The Phillies will more than likely take a wait and see approach with Brett, and the off day tomorrow will help, since it pushes his next start back a day.
The offense didn't exactly look sharp tonight, either. Jimmy, Shane and Chase just couldn't get anything going at the top of the lineup, which is a shame, since Ryan Howard had two hits, and while he did get one of those hits with runners on, it was a single to third base, and no one was scoring on that play. If someone had been on for his second hit, though, it would have been another story. Jayson Werth's nasty little slump continued tonight, as he struck out twice. He's got to get things going again, and soon. The Phillies can't have any more inconsistant bats in their lineup, especially since everyone knows Raul Ibanez will eventually start to cool down, and it's starting to look like that point right now. Raul was 0-4 tonight with two strikeouts, and he grounded into a huge double play with the bases loaded in the first inning. If this is a prolonged thing for him, the Phillies will need Jimmy and Jayson to get back on track, because without their main RBI man right now, the offense would come to a sudden and painful stop.
The main concern right now is the health of Brett Myers. As long as it's nothing serious, I won't be worried, but if it's something that requires a trip to the DL, that's not a good thing. I like Chan Ho Park in the bullpen, not near the starting rotation. It just figures that right as the Phillies start getting their starting pitching in order, Brett goes and gets hurt. Plus, the Phillies are now 9-14 at home, which is nowhere near where they should be. Perhaps it's time for us fans to start taking Charlie Manuel's advice:
“I notice sometimes when [the fans] are talking to us around the dugout, they’re always talking about last year and thanking us for winning and all that. Of course, they’re enjoying the game and they love us, but… well, maybe they should get on us a little bit.”
Maybe Phillies need some tough love: Daily News
Everyone hear that? The Phils have an off day tomorrow, but Friday night, when J.A. Happ (2-0, 2.60 ERA) goes against Ross Detwiler (0-0, 2.45 ERA), you give the Phillies hell!
Brett Myers didn't have his best stuff, and fell behind early before leaving with a hip injury. Despite two late comeback attempts by the Phillies, the Marlins were able to coast to a 6-2 win and a series win.
What went right?
Carlos Ruiz was 1-4 with his second home run of the season.
Ryan Howard was 2-4.
Matt Stairs was 1-1 with a pinch hit home run and a walk.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino and Chase Utley, AKA: The Top of the Lineup, went a combined 1-11 with two walks.
Raul Ibanez went 0-4 with two strikeouts.
Brett Myers lasted only 5 and 2-3rds innings before leaving with a hip injury. While he was in there, he allowed five runs on seven hits, while striking out three and walking one. He also allowed two more home runs.
The Phillies left eight men on base, including five in the final two innings.
Game Analysis:
Just not a good game tonight from any perspective for the Phillies. Brett Myers looked sharp for a few innings, then started getting knocked around in the fourth. By the middle of the sixth inning, he was gone with a hip injury, and the Phils were in a hole that they wouldn't be able to climb out of. The only thing I can find now is that Myers left with "right hip inflammation." I'm not exactly sure how severe something like that is, but for a pitcher, both hips need to be as close to 100% as possible, so this isn't good news for Brett. Hopefully he can avoid time on the DL, since that would mean the return of Chan Ho Park to the rotation, but right now, I don't think anyone knows what's going to happen. The Phillies will more than likely take a wait and see approach with Brett, and the off day tomorrow will help, since it pushes his next start back a day.
The offense didn't exactly look sharp tonight, either. Jimmy, Shane and Chase just couldn't get anything going at the top of the lineup, which is a shame, since Ryan Howard had two hits, and while he did get one of those hits with runners on, it was a single to third base, and no one was scoring on that play. If someone had been on for his second hit, though, it would have been another story. Jayson Werth's nasty little slump continued tonight, as he struck out twice. He's got to get things going again, and soon. The Phillies can't have any more inconsistant bats in their lineup, especially since everyone knows Raul Ibanez will eventually start to cool down, and it's starting to look like that point right now. Raul was 0-4 tonight with two strikeouts, and he grounded into a huge double play with the bases loaded in the first inning. If this is a prolonged thing for him, the Phillies will need Jimmy and Jayson to get back on track, because without their main RBI man right now, the offense would come to a sudden and painful stop.
The main concern right now is the health of Brett Myers. As long as it's nothing serious, I won't be worried, but if it's something that requires a trip to the DL, that's not a good thing. I like Chan Ho Park in the bullpen, not near the starting rotation. It just figures that right as the Phillies start getting their starting pitching in order, Brett goes and gets hurt. Plus, the Phillies are now 9-14 at home, which is nowhere near where they should be. Perhaps it's time for us fans to start taking Charlie Manuel's advice:
“I notice sometimes when [the fans] are talking to us around the dugout, they’re always talking about last year and thanking us for winning and all that. Of course, they’re enjoying the game and they love us, but… well, maybe they should get on us a little bit.”
Maybe Phillies need some tough love: Daily News
Everyone hear that? The Phils have an off day tomorrow, but Friday night, when J.A. Happ (2-0, 2.60 ERA) goes against Ross Detwiler (0-0, 2.45 ERA), you give the Phillies hell!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Phillies Recap: Phillies-5, Marlins-3
Game Recap:
Chad Durbin made things interesting in the ninth, but the Phillies managed to hold on for a 5-3 win, which preserved Joe Blanton's most impressive win of the season.
What went right?
Joe Blanton was awesome, throwing seven shutout innings while striking out a career high 11 and walking two.
Shane Victorino went 4-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
Jimmy Rollins scored twice.
Raul Ibanez went 1-2 with a walk and a sacrifice fly for his 44th RBI of the season.
Pedro Feliz went 2-4 with two RBI.
Jayson Werth went 1-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
What went wrong?
Ryan Howard went 0-3, and had his first error of the season in the ninth inning, which made the game much more interesting than it had to be.
Chad Durbin didn't make things easy in the ninth inning, walking two batters and allowing three runs (one earned), before Brad Lidge came in to finish the game.
Game Analysis:
Well hello, Mr. Joe Blanton. In the almost one full season that Blanton has been a member of the Phillies, I've never seen him pitch as well as he did tonight. After his last start showed signs of promise before the fifth inning from hell, Blanton came out tonight with his best stuff, and man, was it impressive. He had the Marlins guessing all night long and recorded a career high 11 strikeouts. I don't have much else to say other than, well done Joe. If you can keep that up, all of a sudden, the Phillies' rotation doesn't look too bad at all.
Of course, the bullpen decided to go a little bit south tonight, with Chad Durbin getting hit up for three runs in the top of the ninth inning. Now, only one was earned, thanks to Ryan Howard's first error of the season, but the fact of the matter is that he let three men cross the plate. Error or not, that doesn't work for me. Plus, it forced Charlie to bring Brad Lidge into a game that the Phils shouldn't have had to use him. Fortunately, he got the save with relative ease, and looked more confident out there tonight than he did against the Yankees, so maybe this is what he needs, who knows?
It was good to see the offense come out swinging tonight and pick up three runs in the first inning, too. Pedro Feliz kept on doing what he's done all year so far, and drove in two more runs, while Raul Ibanez showed why he deserves the sixth (sixth?!) most votes for outfield on the All Star team with yet another RBI. I don't know how long he can keep this up, and I'm sure that he'll start to slow down eventually, but it's always nice to have a guy on your team with as many RBI as games played. Not only does it mean he's constantly producing, but it looks nice on the projected stats page on ESPN.com as well. Shane Victorino looked like he shook off his little baserunning blunder in the ninth inning last night with a four hit game from the two hole tonight. I know Charlie usually has hunches when he moves the lineup around, and tonight it worked out, though it'll be interesting to see how long he keeps Shane there with the three straight lefties in the middle of that lineup.
Aside from the ninth inning shakes that I got, it was a good win tonight, and hopefully, it can keep up. Tomorrow, Brett Myers (4-2, 4.34 ERA) looks to keep his momentum going against Burke Badenhop (2-2, 5.75 ERA). If the starting pitching keeps going like this, the Phils will have nothing to worry about, so keep your fingers crossed that it does!
Chad Durbin made things interesting in the ninth, but the Phillies managed to hold on for a 5-3 win, which preserved Joe Blanton's most impressive win of the season.
What went right?
Joe Blanton was awesome, throwing seven shutout innings while striking out a career high 11 and walking two.
Shane Victorino went 4-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
Jimmy Rollins scored twice.
Raul Ibanez went 1-2 with a walk and a sacrifice fly for his 44th RBI of the season.
Pedro Feliz went 2-4 with two RBI.
Jayson Werth went 1-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
What went wrong?
Ryan Howard went 0-3, and had his first error of the season in the ninth inning, which made the game much more interesting than it had to be.
Chad Durbin didn't make things easy in the ninth inning, walking two batters and allowing three runs (one earned), before Brad Lidge came in to finish the game.
Game Analysis:
Well hello, Mr. Joe Blanton. In the almost one full season that Blanton has been a member of the Phillies, I've never seen him pitch as well as he did tonight. After his last start showed signs of promise before the fifth inning from hell, Blanton came out tonight with his best stuff, and man, was it impressive. He had the Marlins guessing all night long and recorded a career high 11 strikeouts. I don't have much else to say other than, well done Joe. If you can keep that up, all of a sudden, the Phillies' rotation doesn't look too bad at all.
Of course, the bullpen decided to go a little bit south tonight, with Chad Durbin getting hit up for three runs in the top of the ninth inning. Now, only one was earned, thanks to Ryan Howard's first error of the season, but the fact of the matter is that he let three men cross the plate. Error or not, that doesn't work for me. Plus, it forced Charlie to bring Brad Lidge into a game that the Phils shouldn't have had to use him. Fortunately, he got the save with relative ease, and looked more confident out there tonight than he did against the Yankees, so maybe this is what he needs, who knows?
It was good to see the offense come out swinging tonight and pick up three runs in the first inning, too. Pedro Feliz kept on doing what he's done all year so far, and drove in two more runs, while Raul Ibanez showed why he deserves the sixth (sixth?!) most votes for outfield on the All Star team with yet another RBI. I don't know how long he can keep this up, and I'm sure that he'll start to slow down eventually, but it's always nice to have a guy on your team with as many RBI as games played. Not only does it mean he's constantly producing, but it looks nice on the projected stats page on ESPN.com as well. Shane Victorino looked like he shook off his little baserunning blunder in the ninth inning last night with a four hit game from the two hole tonight. I know Charlie usually has hunches when he moves the lineup around, and tonight it worked out, though it'll be interesting to see how long he keeps Shane there with the three straight lefties in the middle of that lineup.
Aside from the ninth inning shakes that I got, it was a good win tonight, and hopefully, it can keep up. Tomorrow, Brett Myers (4-2, 4.34 ERA) looks to keep his momentum going against Burke Badenhop (2-2, 5.75 ERA). If the starting pitching keeps going like this, the Phils will have nothing to worry about, so keep your fingers crossed that it does!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Phillies Recap: Marlins-5, Phillies-3
Game Recap:
Despite Ryan Howard's two home runs, Jamie Moyer couldn't stop the Marlins as he failed once again for his 250th win.
What went right?
Ryan Howard went 2-4 with two home runs and three RBI.
Chan Ho Park was actually not bad in relief of Jamie Moyer, going three innings and allowing one run on four hits while striking out five.
Jamie Moyer wasn't horrible, allowing four runs on seven hits in six innings while striking out five and walking two.
What went wrong?
Chase Utley was 0-3.
Jayson Werth was 0-4.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-4.
Game Analysis:
Of all the games for the Phillies to waste, why would they waste this one? Jamie Moyer pitched better than he had in the last month, only for the Phillies to let him lose, thanks to two bad innings. It's a shame that tonight happened like it did, but Moyer is still one win short of 250 wins on his career, and he still didn't look great at points tonight.
I know we all want Jamie to look like the player that he was during the regular season and Game 3 of the World Series, but to be honest, that was a different player. He was getting the strike zone most of those nights, and players like Wes Helms wouldn't have stood a chance. Now, he's just a 46 year old pitcher, and those things don't matter. If not for two bad innings tonight, I would be talking about Ryan Howard's two home runs and Moyer's 250th win. Instead, Moyer is kept waiting, while Howard wasted two long balls. I still have to question Shane Victorino's attempted steal in the ninth inning with Matt Stairs batting. Sure, the grounder that Stairs hit should have been a double play, but you don't know what would have happened...why did you try and steal? It doesn't make sense.
Other than that, at least Chan Ho Park looked good. Tomorrow, Joe Blanton (2-3, 7.11 ERA) tries to right the ship when he goes against Andrew Miller (1-1, 4.94 ERA). Hopefully, things turn around for the hefty righty.
Despite Ryan Howard's two home runs, Jamie Moyer couldn't stop the Marlins as he failed once again for his 250th win.
What went right?
Ryan Howard went 2-4 with two home runs and three RBI.
Chan Ho Park was actually not bad in relief of Jamie Moyer, going three innings and allowing one run on four hits while striking out five.
Jamie Moyer wasn't horrible, allowing four runs on seven hits in six innings while striking out five and walking two.
What went wrong?
Chase Utley was 0-3.
Jayson Werth was 0-4.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-4.
Game Analysis:
Of all the games for the Phillies to waste, why would they waste this one? Jamie Moyer pitched better than he had in the last month, only for the Phillies to let him lose, thanks to two bad innings. It's a shame that tonight happened like it did, but Moyer is still one win short of 250 wins on his career, and he still didn't look great at points tonight.
I know we all want Jamie to look like the player that he was during the regular season and Game 3 of the World Series, but to be honest, that was a different player. He was getting the strike zone most of those nights, and players like Wes Helms wouldn't have stood a chance. Now, he's just a 46 year old pitcher, and those things don't matter. If not for two bad innings tonight, I would be talking about Ryan Howard's two home runs and Moyer's 250th win. Instead, Moyer is kept waiting, while Howard wasted two long balls. I still have to question Shane Victorino's attempted steal in the ninth inning with Matt Stairs batting. Sure, the grounder that Stairs hit should have been a double play, but you don't know what would have happened...why did you try and steal? It doesn't make sense.
Other than that, at least Chan Ho Park looked good. Tomorrow, Joe Blanton (2-3, 7.11 ERA) tries to right the ship when he goes against Andrew Miller (1-1, 4.94 ERA). Hopefully, things turn around for the hefty righty.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Phillies Recap: Phillies-4, Yankees-3
Game Recap:
Carlos Ruiz hit a game winning double in the top of the 11th inning to bail out Brad Lidge and give the Phillies a series win over the New York Yankees.
What went right?
Cole Hamels looked sharp again today, allowing just two runs on eight hits. He struck out five and walked none.
Shane Victorino went 3-6 with an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base.
Raul Ibanez went 2-5 with an RBI double.
Ryan Howard went 2-5 and stole his second base of the year.
Carlos Ruiz went 3-4 with a walk, a run scored and that game winning RBI double.
What went wrong?
Brad Lidge blew his second save in two days, allowing a run to score in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Jayson Werth went 0-5 with three strikeouts.
Pedro Feliz went 0-5.
Game Analysis:
It wasn't the prettiest win in the world, but they still count all the same, and they're even sweeter against the Yankees. Plus, the way Cole Hamels is pitching right now, it looks like he could take on any lineup without trouble. The elbow problems he had at the start of the season are definitely a thing of the past, and he's 2-0 with a 2.88 ERA during this month. Of course, he should be 3-0 for the month of May, but I'll get to that in a minute. The only real blemish Hamels had today was that absurd broken bat home run by Mark Teixeira, and that was not his fault. If you can saw a batter off like that, it should never be a home run. Congrats Yanks, you've built yourselves a real launch pad right there. No one gets to talk about Citizens Bank Park being bad for pitchers ever again, not with that stadium just 90 miles up the road.
Take everything I said about Brad Lidge last night and multiply it by about 500 right now. I love the man for what he was able to do last season, but he shouldn't be anywhere near a pitchers mound right now. JC Romero comes back in eight games, and when he does, Lidge needs to go on the DL. He's already allowed more runs in two months than he did all of last season, and I'm more nervous when he goes out there than when Jose Mesa was closing games for the Phils, and that's not a good thing. A trip to the DL last year let him work through his early knee problems, and I think that would be the ticket again this year, too. It has to be done.
I don't know what's happened to Carlos Ruiz lately, but I love it. The man raked during this road trip, and today was the culmination. He put a great play on Johnny Damon early on, then nailed Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner trying to steal second base, AND had the game winning hit in the 11th inning. If I hear anyone call for Chris Coste to start right now, and that includes myself, I'm going to direct them into the closest lane of traffic. Ruiz has his batting average up over .300, and is actually second on the team behind only Raul Ibanez, who is hitting like he's from another planet right now.
To go 8-2 on a road trip, you need some things to bounce your way. Today, the Phillies got a few of those breaks. Clay Condrey got out of a real jam in the 10th inning, then closed out the game in the 11th. The starting pitching for the Phillies also looks like it's back on track, as Brett Myers, J.A. Happ and Cole Hamels outpitched the overpriced Yankee starters in all three games, and they allowed only one walk between the three of them. Yes, things are a bit dicey right now in the back of the bullpen, but when that hopefully gets sorted out, the Phils are a team that people are going to have to look out for much, much later in the season. Plus, it's always fun to beat the Yankees...anyone can agree to that.
Tomorrow, Jamie Moyer (3-4, 7.62 ERA) will hopefully get back on track against the Florida Marlins, a team he usually dominates. Chris Volstad (3-3, 3.64 ERA) will be going for the Marlins, who are looking to get back on track after wasting an 11-1 start to their season. It's Memorial Dollar Dog Day, so enjoy the game!
Carlos Ruiz hit a game winning double in the top of the 11th inning to bail out Brad Lidge and give the Phillies a series win over the New York Yankees.
What went right?
Cole Hamels looked sharp again today, allowing just two runs on eight hits. He struck out five and walked none.
Shane Victorino went 3-6 with an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base.
Raul Ibanez went 2-5 with an RBI double.
Ryan Howard went 2-5 and stole his second base of the year.
Carlos Ruiz went 3-4 with a walk, a run scored and that game winning RBI double.
What went wrong?
Brad Lidge blew his second save in two days, allowing a run to score in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Jayson Werth went 0-5 with three strikeouts.
Pedro Feliz went 0-5.
Game Analysis:
It wasn't the prettiest win in the world, but they still count all the same, and they're even sweeter against the Yankees. Plus, the way Cole Hamels is pitching right now, it looks like he could take on any lineup without trouble. The elbow problems he had at the start of the season are definitely a thing of the past, and he's 2-0 with a 2.88 ERA during this month. Of course, he should be 3-0 for the month of May, but I'll get to that in a minute. The only real blemish Hamels had today was that absurd broken bat home run by Mark Teixeira, and that was not his fault. If you can saw a batter off like that, it should never be a home run. Congrats Yanks, you've built yourselves a real launch pad right there. No one gets to talk about Citizens Bank Park being bad for pitchers ever again, not with that stadium just 90 miles up the road.
Take everything I said about Brad Lidge last night and multiply it by about 500 right now. I love the man for what he was able to do last season, but he shouldn't be anywhere near a pitchers mound right now. JC Romero comes back in eight games, and when he does, Lidge needs to go on the DL. He's already allowed more runs in two months than he did all of last season, and I'm more nervous when he goes out there than when Jose Mesa was closing games for the Phils, and that's not a good thing. A trip to the DL last year let him work through his early knee problems, and I think that would be the ticket again this year, too. It has to be done.
I don't know what's happened to Carlos Ruiz lately, but I love it. The man raked during this road trip, and today was the culmination. He put a great play on Johnny Damon early on, then nailed Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner trying to steal second base, AND had the game winning hit in the 11th inning. If I hear anyone call for Chris Coste to start right now, and that includes myself, I'm going to direct them into the closest lane of traffic. Ruiz has his batting average up over .300, and is actually second on the team behind only Raul Ibanez, who is hitting like he's from another planet right now.
To go 8-2 on a road trip, you need some things to bounce your way. Today, the Phillies got a few of those breaks. Clay Condrey got out of a real jam in the 10th inning, then closed out the game in the 11th. The starting pitching for the Phillies also looks like it's back on track, as Brett Myers, J.A. Happ and Cole Hamels outpitched the overpriced Yankee starters in all three games, and they allowed only one walk between the three of them. Yes, things are a bit dicey right now in the back of the bullpen, but when that hopefully gets sorted out, the Phils are a team that people are going to have to look out for much, much later in the season. Plus, it's always fun to beat the Yankees...anyone can agree to that.
Tomorrow, Jamie Moyer (3-4, 7.62 ERA) will hopefully get back on track against the Florida Marlins, a team he usually dominates. Chris Volstad (3-3, 3.64 ERA) will be going for the Marlins, who are looking to get back on track after wasting an 11-1 start to their season. It's Memorial Dollar Dog Day, so enjoy the game!
Phillie of the Week: May 17-23
This week's Phillie of the Week is:
Raul Ibanez
Might as well just make him the front-runner from now on. There were a lot of choices this week, but Ibanez's four home runs pushed him over the top. Ibanez has taken to the Phils like a fish to water, and is sixth in the National League in batting, first in home runs, first in RBI, first in slugging percentage and second in runs scored. He's never made an All Star team before, but at this rate, it would be a crime to leave him off the list.
Raul Ibanez
Might as well just make him the front-runner from now on. There were a lot of choices this week, but Ibanez's four home runs pushed him over the top. Ibanez has taken to the Phils like a fish to water, and is sixth in the National League in batting, first in home runs, first in RBI, first in slugging percentage and second in runs scored. He's never made an All Star team before, but at this rate, it would be a crime to leave him off the list.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Phillies Recap: Yankees-5, Phillies-4
Game Recap:
Despite six strong innings from J.A. Happ and a three run home run by John Mayberry, Brad Lidge was unable to hold the lead as the Phillies lost to the Yankees.
What went right?
Raul Ibanez went 1-4 with his 17th home run of the season.
John Mayberry went 2-3 and nailed a three home run for his first major league hit. Welcome to the big leagues, enjoy the next day before you get sent back to AAA.
J.A. Happ was not like Chan Ho Park, going six innings and allowing just two runs on four hits. He struck out four and walked one.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-4.
Ryan Howard was 0-4.
Jayson Werth was 0-4.
Brad Lidge blew his third save of the season, getting only one out before allowing an Alex Rodriguez home run, a Robinson Cano single and stolen base, and a Melky Cabrera game winning single.
Game Analysis:
I don't know what the hell is wrong with Brad Lidge, but I'm sure as hell sick of it. I knew he wouldn't be perfect again this season; the law of averages just spells that out. But for him to have a 9.16 ERA in May with three blown saves is pathetic. There has to still be something wrong with his knee or something, because this is not the same guy that went 48-48 in saves last season. He just doesn't have that same look to him this season, and when your closer is the weak spot in your bullpen, there's going to be trouble, and right now, there's trouble. There has to be a way or a reason to send Lidge to the DL just to get him to work this out. Ryan Madson can close until Lidge is ready to come back, and maybe then he'll have everything ready to go. The Mets had problems at the back end of their bullpen each of the last two years, and I don't want to be like the Mets this year.
If not for Lidge, I'd be talking about how awesome J.A. Happ was today. For a kid to make his first start of the season, at Yankee Stadium, against that lineup...just amazing. He had the Yankees looking silly the entire time he was in there, and if it weren't for the fact that he was on a pitch count today, he could have gone into the seventh or even the eighth inning. Chan Ho Park he was not, and that is a very, very good thing. If he can keep this up along with Brett Myers and Cole Hamels, all of a sudden the Phillies have a decent looking rotation again.
Of course, the offense didn't exactly do their part to help Happ along, save for one of the usual suspects and the new guy. Raul Ibanez is still playing out of this world, and he leads baseball in home runs. For those of you that would question his playing at Citizen's Bank Park for his increase in homers, he actually has one more home run on the road than he does at home. Thanks for playing, though. The second best story of the day, aside from Happ, was the first major league hit of John Mayberry. His fifth inning home run gave the Phils a 4-1 lead, and it would have stood as the game winning hit had the bullpen been able to keep the lead. That being said, it's nice to see the new kid getting his moment this weekend. It's pretty obvious that unless he sets the world on fire he's going back down to AAA after Sunday's game, so for him to get a homer for his first big league hit is a thrill and something he can tell his grandkids about.
This game left a bad taste in my mouth, but hopefully things will get better tomorrow, as the heavyweights of the pitching staffs clash. Cole Hamels (2-2, 4.95 ERA) will go against CC Sabathia (4-3, 3.43 ERA). I can't wait to see how this one plays out, and hopefully the Phils come out on top to close out their road trip.
Despite six strong innings from J.A. Happ and a three run home run by John Mayberry, Brad Lidge was unable to hold the lead as the Phillies lost to the Yankees.
What went right?
Raul Ibanez went 1-4 with his 17th home run of the season.
John Mayberry went 2-3 and nailed a three home run for his first major league hit. Welcome to the big leagues, enjoy the next day before you get sent back to AAA.
J.A. Happ was not like Chan Ho Park, going six innings and allowing just two runs on four hits. He struck out four and walked one.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-4.
Ryan Howard was 0-4.
Jayson Werth was 0-4.
Brad Lidge blew his third save of the season, getting only one out before allowing an Alex Rodriguez home run, a Robinson Cano single and stolen base, and a Melky Cabrera game winning single.
Game Analysis:
I don't know what the hell is wrong with Brad Lidge, but I'm sure as hell sick of it. I knew he wouldn't be perfect again this season; the law of averages just spells that out. But for him to have a 9.16 ERA in May with three blown saves is pathetic. There has to still be something wrong with his knee or something, because this is not the same guy that went 48-48 in saves last season. He just doesn't have that same look to him this season, and when your closer is the weak spot in your bullpen, there's going to be trouble, and right now, there's trouble. There has to be a way or a reason to send Lidge to the DL just to get him to work this out. Ryan Madson can close until Lidge is ready to come back, and maybe then he'll have everything ready to go. The Mets had problems at the back end of their bullpen each of the last two years, and I don't want to be like the Mets this year.
If not for Lidge, I'd be talking about how awesome J.A. Happ was today. For a kid to make his first start of the season, at Yankee Stadium, against that lineup...just amazing. He had the Yankees looking silly the entire time he was in there, and if it weren't for the fact that he was on a pitch count today, he could have gone into the seventh or even the eighth inning. Chan Ho Park he was not, and that is a very, very good thing. If he can keep this up along with Brett Myers and Cole Hamels, all of a sudden the Phillies have a decent looking rotation again.
Of course, the offense didn't exactly do their part to help Happ along, save for one of the usual suspects and the new guy. Raul Ibanez is still playing out of this world, and he leads baseball in home runs. For those of you that would question his playing at Citizen's Bank Park for his increase in homers, he actually has one more home run on the road than he does at home. Thanks for playing, though. The second best story of the day, aside from Happ, was the first major league hit of John Mayberry. His fifth inning home run gave the Phils a 4-1 lead, and it would have stood as the game winning hit had the bullpen been able to keep the lead. That being said, it's nice to see the new kid getting his moment this weekend. It's pretty obvious that unless he sets the world on fire he's going back down to AAA after Sunday's game, so for him to get a homer for his first big league hit is a thrill and something he can tell his grandkids about.
This game left a bad taste in my mouth, but hopefully things will get better tomorrow, as the heavyweights of the pitching staffs clash. Cole Hamels (2-2, 4.95 ERA) will go against CC Sabathia (4-3, 3.43 ERA). I can't wait to see how this one plays out, and hopefully the Phils come out on top to close out their road trip.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Phillies Recap: Phillies-7, Yankees-3
Game Recap:
Jimmy Rollins hit the first pitch of the game out for a home run, and it was that kind of night, as the Phillies rode the arm of Brett Myers as well as four home runs to a win over the Yankees.
What went right?
The aforementioned Jimmy Rollins went 2-4 with that leadoff homer. He walked, stole a base, and helped nail Johnny Damon at the plate in the first inning.
Raul Ibanez went 2-4 with his Major League leading 16th home run of the season.
Jayson Werth went 2-4 with a two run home run.
Carlos Ruiz continued his torrid late May run, going 3-4 with his first homer of the season and two RBI. He also stole his first base of the season.
Chase Utley went 1-4 with an RBI.
Brett Myers had the best start of any Phillies pitcher this year, going eight innings, striking out five, walking none and allowing only three runs.
What went wrong?
The only problem with those three runs is that they were all via the home run, giving Myers 15 home runs allowed on the season.
Ryan Howard went 0-5 with two strikeouts.
Game Analysis:
After getting fat on some weaker National League teams, the Phillies faced off against the big boys tonight. Did the defending World Champions back down? Not even close. Jimmy Rollins took A.J. Burnett's first pitch over the wall, and the tone was set. By the time the final out was recorded, the Phils had their second straight game with four home runs, accomplishing that feat for the first time since 2006. Not only that, but Brett Myers was absolutely rock solid tonight, shutting down one of the highest scoring teams in baseball. Myers pitched eight great innings, throwing 77 of his 107 pitches for strikes and he kept the Yankees' batters off balance all night. I know that Myers isn't going to be able to perform like this all the time, but his last three starts have just seen him get better and better, which is exactly what the Phillies need right now. Their offense is still plugging along, and now the pitching is starting to catch up.
I'm still a little concerned about the amount of home runs that Myers is giving up, though. He gave up three more tonight, and while they were all solo shots, it brought his total for the year up to 15, which is far, far too many. The longball has been a big problem for every Phillie starter this year. As a team, the Phils have allowed 62 home runs this season, which leads the National League and is second to the Baltimore Orioles in all of baseball. Three of the starting pitchers (Myers, Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton) are in the top ten in the National League in homers allowed, with Cole Hamels nipping at their heels. I don't know if it's the fact that Citizen's Bank Park is a hitter's park, or the pitchers don't just have their best stuff so far this year, but something has got to change. Fortunately, aside from the homers, Myers looked better than he has all season, and you have to give him credit for throwing behind Jeter after Utley was plunked in the top of the first inning.
All things considered, this was a great win for the Phillies. They came into new Yankee Stadium for the first time and punched the Yanks right in the mouth. The offense looks like it's clicking right now, and if Myers is any indication, the starting pitching is starting to come around, too. Now that the Phils have put an end to the nine game winning streak of the Yankees, it's time to expand their own for a little while longer. Tomorrow, J.A. Happ (2-0, 2.49 ERA) makes his first start of the year, going up against Andy Pettite (4-1, 4.18 ERA). The game is nationally televised, so expect Joe Buck and Tim McCarver to gush over Derek Jeter and generally make your life miserable as you watch. Of course, you can always do what I'm going to do and listen to the game on the radio. It's Memorial Day weekend...might as well turn on the radio at the shore.
Go Phils!
Jimmy Rollins hit the first pitch of the game out for a home run, and it was that kind of night, as the Phillies rode the arm of Brett Myers as well as four home runs to a win over the Yankees.
What went right?
The aforementioned Jimmy Rollins went 2-4 with that leadoff homer. He walked, stole a base, and helped nail Johnny Damon at the plate in the first inning.
Raul Ibanez went 2-4 with his Major League leading 16th home run of the season.
Jayson Werth went 2-4 with a two run home run.
Carlos Ruiz continued his torrid late May run, going 3-4 with his first homer of the season and two RBI. He also stole his first base of the season.
Chase Utley went 1-4 with an RBI.
Brett Myers had the best start of any Phillies pitcher this year, going eight innings, striking out five, walking none and allowing only three runs.
What went wrong?
The only problem with those three runs is that they were all via the home run, giving Myers 15 home runs allowed on the season.
Ryan Howard went 0-5 with two strikeouts.
Game Analysis:
After getting fat on some weaker National League teams, the Phillies faced off against the big boys tonight. Did the defending World Champions back down? Not even close. Jimmy Rollins took A.J. Burnett's first pitch over the wall, and the tone was set. By the time the final out was recorded, the Phils had their second straight game with four home runs, accomplishing that feat for the first time since 2006. Not only that, but Brett Myers was absolutely rock solid tonight, shutting down one of the highest scoring teams in baseball. Myers pitched eight great innings, throwing 77 of his 107 pitches for strikes and he kept the Yankees' batters off balance all night. I know that Myers isn't going to be able to perform like this all the time, but his last three starts have just seen him get better and better, which is exactly what the Phillies need right now. Their offense is still plugging along, and now the pitching is starting to catch up.
I'm still a little concerned about the amount of home runs that Myers is giving up, though. He gave up three more tonight, and while they were all solo shots, it brought his total for the year up to 15, which is far, far too many. The longball has been a big problem for every Phillie starter this year. As a team, the Phils have allowed 62 home runs this season, which leads the National League and is second to the Baltimore Orioles in all of baseball. Three of the starting pitchers (Myers, Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton) are in the top ten in the National League in homers allowed, with Cole Hamels nipping at their heels. I don't know if it's the fact that Citizen's Bank Park is a hitter's park, or the pitchers don't just have their best stuff so far this year, but something has got to change. Fortunately, aside from the homers, Myers looked better than he has all season, and you have to give him credit for throwing behind Jeter after Utley was plunked in the top of the first inning.
All things considered, this was a great win for the Phillies. They came into new Yankee Stadium for the first time and punched the Yanks right in the mouth. The offense looks like it's clicking right now, and if Myers is any indication, the starting pitching is starting to come around, too. Now that the Phils have put an end to the nine game winning streak of the Yankees, it's time to expand their own for a little while longer. Tomorrow, J.A. Happ (2-0, 2.49 ERA) makes his first start of the year, going up against Andy Pettite (4-1, 4.18 ERA). The game is nationally televised, so expect Joe Buck and Tim McCarver to gush over Derek Jeter and generally make your life miserable as you watch. Of course, you can always do what I'm going to do and listen to the game on the radio. It's Memorial Day weekend...might as well turn on the radio at the shore.
Go Phils!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Phillies Recap: Phillies-12, Reds-5
Game Recap:
The Phillies pounded the Reds, scoring in seven of nine innings on their way to winning the series against Cincinnati.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins went 4-6 with an RBI and two runs scored. He also stole his 300th career base in the second inning.
Chase Utley went 3-4, finishing a triple short of the cycle. He hit his 11th homer of the season in the fourth inning and finished with four RBI.
Raul Ibanez went 2-5 with his 15th home run of the season and had three RBI.
Ryan Howard went 1-5 with a home run.
Greg Dobbs went 1-2 with his first home run of the season. He also walked twice and scored twice.
Pedro Feliz went 1-2 with a double and two RBI.
The bullpen was again excellent, allowing no runs and just two hits in four innings.
What went wrong?
Joe Blanton came close to giving the game back to the Reds in the fifth inning, allowing five runs. He finished the game with those five runs allowed in five innings. He gave up seven hits, struck out four and walked one.
That's about it.
Game Analysis:
Now that's how you make up for a shaky pitching performance. Though Joe Blanton was great through four innings, he came apart in the fifth, giving up five runs and making what was a 6-0 Phillies lead a very tight 6-5 lead. Fortunately for him, the Phillies weren't done scoring runs yet. Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez added to their home run totals on the season, and the Phils tacked on six more runs to win their sixth game on their road trip. Maybe they should play away from Citizen's Bank Park more often?
Aside from Blanton's fifth inning, this game went about as well as a baseball game in May can go. The top of the lineup was excellent, as Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez went a combined 9-15 with five runs scored and eight RBI. When the top three guys in your lineup are doing that well, you're more than likely going to win any game you play, regardless of your pitching. The only problem is that is how the Phillies have had to play a lot of games this year. With Blanton, Jamie Moyer and Chan Ho Park all struggling in the starting rotation, the Phillies have had to win a lot of games in spite of their pitching, not because of it. So far, the offense has been up to the challenge, but if they happen to hit one of those dry spells that gets to every team during the season while their pitching is still shaky, it could be a long run of losses.
Today though, that didn't happen. The Phillies were clicking on all cylinders, and if Blanton doesn't have that one bad inning, he probably pitches into the seventh inning. Aside from the fifth, Blanton was solid, and he threw 68 of his 97 pitches for strikes, which is a very good ratio. If he can stay away from the big inning, he'll be fine. Regardless, the Phils are playing excellent baseball right now, and are back in first place in the National League East, which is exactly where I want to see them.
The Phillies close out their road trip with a series against the Yankees this weekend, as interleague play starts up. Brett Myers (3-2, 4.50 ERA), makes the first start for the Phillies in new Yankee Stadium, as he goes up against A.J. Burnett (2-1, 5.02 ERA). The way the Phils have been scoring runs, that short porch in right is going to look mighty inviting to some of the bats in that lineup...
The Phillies pounded the Reds, scoring in seven of nine innings on their way to winning the series against Cincinnati.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins went 4-6 with an RBI and two runs scored. He also stole his 300th career base in the second inning.
Chase Utley went 3-4, finishing a triple short of the cycle. He hit his 11th homer of the season in the fourth inning and finished with four RBI.
Raul Ibanez went 2-5 with his 15th home run of the season and had three RBI.
Ryan Howard went 1-5 with a home run.
Greg Dobbs went 1-2 with his first home run of the season. He also walked twice and scored twice.
Pedro Feliz went 1-2 with a double and two RBI.
The bullpen was again excellent, allowing no runs and just two hits in four innings.
What went wrong?
Joe Blanton came close to giving the game back to the Reds in the fifth inning, allowing five runs. He finished the game with those five runs allowed in five innings. He gave up seven hits, struck out four and walked one.
That's about it.
Game Analysis:
Now that's how you make up for a shaky pitching performance. Though Joe Blanton was great through four innings, he came apart in the fifth, giving up five runs and making what was a 6-0 Phillies lead a very tight 6-5 lead. Fortunately for him, the Phillies weren't done scoring runs yet. Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez added to their home run totals on the season, and the Phils tacked on six more runs to win their sixth game on their road trip. Maybe they should play away from Citizen's Bank Park more often?
Aside from Blanton's fifth inning, this game went about as well as a baseball game in May can go. The top of the lineup was excellent, as Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez went a combined 9-15 with five runs scored and eight RBI. When the top three guys in your lineup are doing that well, you're more than likely going to win any game you play, regardless of your pitching. The only problem is that is how the Phillies have had to play a lot of games this year. With Blanton, Jamie Moyer and Chan Ho Park all struggling in the starting rotation, the Phillies have had to win a lot of games in spite of their pitching, not because of it. So far, the offense has been up to the challenge, but if they happen to hit one of those dry spells that gets to every team during the season while their pitching is still shaky, it could be a long run of losses.
Today though, that didn't happen. The Phillies were clicking on all cylinders, and if Blanton doesn't have that one bad inning, he probably pitches into the seventh inning. Aside from the fifth, Blanton was solid, and he threw 68 of his 97 pitches for strikes, which is a very good ratio. If he can stay away from the big inning, he'll be fine. Regardless, the Phils are playing excellent baseball right now, and are back in first place in the National League East, which is exactly where I want to see them.
The Phillies close out their road trip with a series against the Yankees this weekend, as interleague play starts up. Brett Myers (3-2, 4.50 ERA), makes the first start for the Phillies in new Yankee Stadium, as he goes up against A.J. Burnett (2-1, 5.02 ERA). The way the Phils have been scoring runs, that short porch in right is going to look mighty inviting to some of the bats in that lineup...
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Phillies Recap: Reds-5, Phillies-1
Game Recap:
Aaron Harang controlled the Phillies for seven innings, while the Reds were able to hit Jamie Moyer and the bullpen for five runs, ending the Phillies five game winning streak.
What went right?
Not a whole lot tonight.
Raul Ibanez went 1-4 with his 14th home run of the season.
Jamie Moyer wasn't horrible out there, allowing just three runs on nine hits in six innings of work. He struck out two and walked one.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley, batting in the one and two spots of the lineup, went 0-8.
Jayson Werth went 0-4 with three strikeouts.
Pedro Feliz went 0-3 with two strikeouts, and he grounded into a double play.
Chad Durbin pitched just two thirds of an inning and allowed two runs on two hits.
Game Analysis:
So much for that winning streak. After bashing the Nationals and outlasting the Reds last night, the Phillies bats went cold quickly tonight. Aaron Harang just had their number, and that will happen during a long season, so it's nothing too bad, but it is a problem that the Phils wasted a decent start by Jamie Moyer. While Moyer could have been better, he certainly pitched better than in his past three starts, lasting six innings and giving up less than five runs for the first time since April 26 against Florida. He did get knocked around early, as the Reds managed to score in each of the first three innings, but he settled down after that, and actually looked a little bit like the Jamie Moyer from last season, which is a good sign.
I know the bullpen can't be counted on to keep a deficit where it is every night, but Chad Durbin made life even harder for the Phillies tonight. After being dominated by Aaron Harang for six innings, I'm sure the Phils were hoping they could tack on a few runs against Cincinnati's bullpen. Instead, Durbin allowed the Reds to score twice against him in the seventh inning, and a two run hole turned into a four run canyon, and the game was basically over. It was just one isolated incident for now, so it's no big deal, but if this happens more often, it could be an issue.
Winning streaks always have to come to an end, it just sucks when they end like this one. No one knows how many more decent starts Moyer has in his arm, and the Phillies let one go to waste today. They only managed four hits and two walks, compared to ten strikeouts. Everyone wants Jamie to get his 250th win, and it's going to come sooner or later, but hopefully the next time he steps out onto the mound, he can pitch like this and get some run support. A few more runs tonight on some missed chances (three of the four hits the Phillies had were doubles), and I'd be talking about Moyer's milestone win. Instead, it's just a loss, and another "you'll get it next time, Jamie." Things like that are never fun.
Tomorrow, the Phillies look to get back on the winning path as Joe Blanton (1-3, 6.86 ERA) heads to the hill to face Micah Owings (3-4, 3.95 ERA). I've had Owings as the starting pitcher for the Reds three days in a row, I've got to get it right eventually. The start time tomorrow is 12:35, so hopefully you can watch the game, or at least listen to it on the radio, like I'm going to do.
Go Phillies!
Aaron Harang controlled the Phillies for seven innings, while the Reds were able to hit Jamie Moyer and the bullpen for five runs, ending the Phillies five game winning streak.
What went right?
Not a whole lot tonight.
Raul Ibanez went 1-4 with his 14th home run of the season.
Jamie Moyer wasn't horrible out there, allowing just three runs on nine hits in six innings of work. He struck out two and walked one.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley, batting in the one and two spots of the lineup, went 0-8.
Jayson Werth went 0-4 with three strikeouts.
Pedro Feliz went 0-3 with two strikeouts, and he grounded into a double play.
Chad Durbin pitched just two thirds of an inning and allowed two runs on two hits.
Game Analysis:
So much for that winning streak. After bashing the Nationals and outlasting the Reds last night, the Phillies bats went cold quickly tonight. Aaron Harang just had their number, and that will happen during a long season, so it's nothing too bad, but it is a problem that the Phils wasted a decent start by Jamie Moyer. While Moyer could have been better, he certainly pitched better than in his past three starts, lasting six innings and giving up less than five runs for the first time since April 26 against Florida. He did get knocked around early, as the Reds managed to score in each of the first three innings, but he settled down after that, and actually looked a little bit like the Jamie Moyer from last season, which is a good sign.
I know the bullpen can't be counted on to keep a deficit where it is every night, but Chad Durbin made life even harder for the Phillies tonight. After being dominated by Aaron Harang for six innings, I'm sure the Phils were hoping they could tack on a few runs against Cincinnati's bullpen. Instead, Durbin allowed the Reds to score twice against him in the seventh inning, and a two run hole turned into a four run canyon, and the game was basically over. It was just one isolated incident for now, so it's no big deal, but if this happens more often, it could be an issue.
Winning streaks always have to come to an end, it just sucks when they end like this one. No one knows how many more decent starts Moyer has in his arm, and the Phillies let one go to waste today. They only managed four hits and two walks, compared to ten strikeouts. Everyone wants Jamie to get his 250th win, and it's going to come sooner or later, but hopefully the next time he steps out onto the mound, he can pitch like this and get some run support. A few more runs tonight on some missed chances (three of the four hits the Phillies had were doubles), and I'd be talking about Moyer's milestone win. Instead, it's just a loss, and another "you'll get it next time, Jamie." Things like that are never fun.
Tomorrow, the Phillies look to get back on the winning path as Joe Blanton (1-3, 6.86 ERA) heads to the hill to face Micah Owings (3-4, 3.95 ERA). I've had Owings as the starting pitcher for the Reds three days in a row, I've got to get it right eventually. The start time tomorrow is 12:35, so hopefully you can watch the game, or at least listen to it on the radio, like I'm going to do.
Go Phillies!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Jim Johnson taking leave of absence from Eagles
While I'm spending most of my time on this blog talking about the Phillies, with good reason, as they're the only team in season right now, when big news comes up for one of the other Big Three Philadelphia teams, I'll pick it up.
That's the case with the Philadelphia Eagles and defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, who's taking a leave of absence to undergo a second round of chemotherapy for his fight with cancer, according to ESPN. Secondary coach Sean McDermott will be the interim defensive coordinator until Johnson can return.
While I love what Jim Johnson has done for the Eagles in the past decade, none of that matters until he can beat this cancer. I'd rather see him healthy and not coaching than confined to a wheelchair, or worse. Johnson's a tough guy, and if anyone can beat this, he can.
My thoughts and prayers are with you Jim. Blitz the hell out of this cancer, then get back to the Eagles when you're healthy so you can have your boys ready to kick ass again!
That's the case with the Philadelphia Eagles and defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, who's taking a leave of absence to undergo a second round of chemotherapy for his fight with cancer, according to ESPN. Secondary coach Sean McDermott will be the interim defensive coordinator until Johnson can return.
While I love what Jim Johnson has done for the Eagles in the past decade, none of that matters until he can beat this cancer. I'd rather see him healthy and not coaching than confined to a wheelchair, or worse. Johnson's a tough guy, and if anyone can beat this, he can.
My thoughts and prayers are with you Jim. Blitz the hell out of this cancer, then get back to the Eagles when you're healthy so you can have your boys ready to kick ass again!
Chan Ho Park out of the rotation, J.A. Happ in
As reported by David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News, Chan Ho Park is out of the rotation. Replacing him will be the man he battled for the position in Spring Training, J.A. Happ. I have to say, the writing was on the wall after Park's poor start on Sunday against the Nationals. Park was shelled, and didn't make it out of the second inning. Meanwhile, Happ was more than likely going to join the rotation on Saturday, but the extra inning game on Friday night pushed his start back.
Aside from starts against the Mets and Dodgers, Park has been horrible in the rotation all season. His ERA of 7.08 is second highest in the rotation, with only Jamie Moyer's being harder. We all know that Moyer's not leaving the rotation, yet, so Park had to come out. While Happ isn't necessarily a long term answer, his 2.49 ERA and 1.06 WHIP are far, far better than anything Park has done so far this year. He's also walked just nine batters this season, compared to 17 for Park. It should be interesting to see what happens now, since Charlie Manuel can't just go back on this after one poor start by Happ. If Happ begins to struggle, and Moyer can't get his form back, it's going to be rough to try and find two new starting pitchers. Hopefully, this works as well as most Phillies fans think it's going to.
Aside from starts against the Mets and Dodgers, Park has been horrible in the rotation all season. His ERA of 7.08 is second highest in the rotation, with only Jamie Moyer's being harder. We all know that Moyer's not leaving the rotation, yet, so Park had to come out. While Happ isn't necessarily a long term answer, his 2.49 ERA and 1.06 WHIP are far, far better than anything Park has done so far this year. He's also walked just nine batters this season, compared to 17 for Park. It should be interesting to see what happens now, since Charlie Manuel can't just go back on this after one poor start by Happ. If Happ begins to struggle, and Moyer can't get his form back, it's going to be rough to try and find two new starting pitchers. Hopefully, this works as well as most Phillies fans think it's going to.
Phillies Recap: Phillies-4, Reds-3
Game Recap:
Thanks to a big fifth inning, the Phillies were able to withstand Johnny Cueto and the Cincinnati Reds, extending their winning streak to five games.
What went right?
Cole Hamels had his third straight solid start, going six innings and striking out seven while allowing three runs. He also singled and scored a run in the fifth inning.
Ryan Howard went 1-3 with a home run.
Jimmy Rollins extended his hitting streak to eight games with a fifth inning double, and went 1-4 with an RBI.
Chase Utley went 1-4 with an RBI.
Pedro Feliz went 2-4 with a run scored.
What went wrong?
Jayson Werth went 0-4.
Carlos Ruiz went 0-4.
Brad Lidge picked up his eighth save, but made it quite interesting in the process, putting runners on first and second with just one out.
Game Analysis:
Cole Hamels is back, and it's great to see it. After struggling with injuries and poor starts in April, Cole has been great so far in May, going 2-0 with 23 strikeouts and only five walks. Not only that, but now he doesn't have to worry about his pitch count anymore, and he's taking full advantage of it. Considering how Jamie Moyer is pitching and Chan Ho Park was pitching, the more Cole looks like he did last year, the better.
The offense also took a page from last year's postseason run by beating Johnny Cueto with one big inning. Cueto looked good in six of his seven innings, but the Phillies sent seven men to the plate in the fifth inning and three of them scored. With Hamels pitching like he did tonight, that was more than enough. Jimmy Rollins is getting back on track, and had an RBI double in the fifth inning. It's good to see Rollins starting to hit again, because he is the engine that makes the Phillies go. When he struggles, the Phillies tend to not do as well. Since he started getting his swing back, the Phils have won five straight games, on the road. Not only that, but with Raul Ibanez, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth hitting behind Rollins, the Phils should be able to score tons of runs this year.
It wouldn't be a Phillies game without Brad Lidge making my heart beat a little bit faster, though. After not giving up a run in his last two saves, Lidge didn't have any room to work with tonight, since the Phils had only managed a 4-3 lead. After getting two men on with only one out, Lidge got into a battle with Willy Taveras and finally got him swinging. Jerry Hairston Jr popped out to end the game, and Lidge got his third straight scoreless save. It's nice to see him getting back on track, too. Much like Rollins is with the offense, Lidge is the engine in the Philadelphia bullpen. If he continues pitching like this, the Phils shouldn't have anything to worry about in the back end of that bullpen. I don't know why the Phillies are playing so well on the road, but I'm starting to think that they should just stay away from Citizen's Bank Park for the rest of the year. It might just be better that way.
Tomorrow, Jamie Moyer (3-3, 8.15 ERA) tries to get the Phillies their sixth straight win as he goes against Aaron Harang (3-4, 3.44 ERA). Hopefully, he can get back on track, just like the rest of the Phillies have.
Thanks to a big fifth inning, the Phillies were able to withstand Johnny Cueto and the Cincinnati Reds, extending their winning streak to five games.
What went right?
Cole Hamels had his third straight solid start, going six innings and striking out seven while allowing three runs. He also singled and scored a run in the fifth inning.
Ryan Howard went 1-3 with a home run.
Jimmy Rollins extended his hitting streak to eight games with a fifth inning double, and went 1-4 with an RBI.
Chase Utley went 1-4 with an RBI.
Pedro Feliz went 2-4 with a run scored.
What went wrong?
Jayson Werth went 0-4.
Carlos Ruiz went 0-4.
Brad Lidge picked up his eighth save, but made it quite interesting in the process, putting runners on first and second with just one out.
Game Analysis:
Cole Hamels is back, and it's great to see it. After struggling with injuries and poor starts in April, Cole has been great so far in May, going 2-0 with 23 strikeouts and only five walks. Not only that, but now he doesn't have to worry about his pitch count anymore, and he's taking full advantage of it. Considering how Jamie Moyer is pitching and Chan Ho Park was pitching, the more Cole looks like he did last year, the better.
The offense also took a page from last year's postseason run by beating Johnny Cueto with one big inning. Cueto looked good in six of his seven innings, but the Phillies sent seven men to the plate in the fifth inning and three of them scored. With Hamels pitching like he did tonight, that was more than enough. Jimmy Rollins is getting back on track, and had an RBI double in the fifth inning. It's good to see Rollins starting to hit again, because he is the engine that makes the Phillies go. When he struggles, the Phillies tend to not do as well. Since he started getting his swing back, the Phils have won five straight games, on the road. Not only that, but with Raul Ibanez, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth hitting behind Rollins, the Phils should be able to score tons of runs this year.
It wouldn't be a Phillies game without Brad Lidge making my heart beat a little bit faster, though. After not giving up a run in his last two saves, Lidge didn't have any room to work with tonight, since the Phils had only managed a 4-3 lead. After getting two men on with only one out, Lidge got into a battle with Willy Taveras and finally got him swinging. Jerry Hairston Jr popped out to end the game, and Lidge got his third straight scoreless save. It's nice to see him getting back on track, too. Much like Rollins is with the offense, Lidge is the engine in the Philadelphia bullpen. If he continues pitching like this, the Phils shouldn't have anything to worry about in the back end of that bullpen. I don't know why the Phillies are playing so well on the road, but I'm starting to think that they should just stay away from Citizen's Bank Park for the rest of the year. It might just be better that way.
Tomorrow, Jamie Moyer (3-3, 8.15 ERA) tries to get the Phillies their sixth straight win as he goes against Aaron Harang (3-4, 3.44 ERA). Hopefully, he can get back on track, just like the rest of the Phillies have.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Oh boy, Hamels is going to get a workout....
The Phillies have decided to use the off day to their advantage, and Cole Hamels is going to take Jamie Moyer's spot tomorrow. Not only does this let Hamels get another start in while Moyer gets to face the struggling Marlins, but this puts Hamels against C.C. Sabathia on Sunday. This week should be fun.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Phiilies Recap: Phillies-8, Nationals-6
Game Recap:
Thanks to some horrible fielding by the Nationals, the Phillies came from behind in the eighth inning to complete a four game sweep in Washington.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins went 2-5 with a stolen base, a run scored and an RBI. His batting average is now a robust .222.
Chase Utley went 1-3 with an RBI and two walks.
Jayson Werth went 2-5 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Shane Victorino went 1-3 with a walk and two RBI.
The bullpen pitched seven and 2/3rds innings of great baseball, allowing just one run on four hits. Sergio Escalona picked up the win in his major league debut.
What went wrong?
Chan Ho Park lasted just one and 1/3rd innings, allowing five runs on five hits. He walked four and struck out two.
Raul Ibanez went 0-4 with a walk.
Carlos Ruiz went 0-4.
Game Analysis:
Chan Ho Park, you may now thank the Philadelphia bullpen. Just one day after getting a rest, the Phillies needed their bullpen more than ever today, as Park couldn't even get out of the second inning against one of the worst teams in baseball. Park had looked more aggressive in his last two starts, but it was clear from the start today that he didn't have that same spark against Washington. Fortunately for him, the Phillies were able to come back again, so the game ended up being more about that than it did about how horrible he played.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not happy at all with the way Park looked today. He had no control, lost an early 3-0 lead and was just plain bad the entire time he was in there. However, once he left, the bullpen came in, and after Jack Taschner managed to get through some early trouble, the Phillies were able to get back into the game. Their offense was also good once again, as they were able to light up the Washington pitching staff for eight more runs, giving them 33 runs in the four game sweep. Even more promising is the fact that both Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley look to be warming up, and if they can continue to get hot with Raul Ibanez, Jayson Werth and Ryan Howard, the Phillies will be one of the most dangerous teams in the National League.
Not only that, but the back end of the lineup is still performing well. Pedro Feliz ended up having the game winning hit on a sacrifice attempt that ended up with him on third and two runs across the plate. He would then score on an RBI double by Eric Bruntlett, and the Phils wouldn't look back again. Ryan Madson got the day off, but Scott Eyre did just fine, and Brad Lidge needed only two pitches to get his seventh save of the season. While Lidge still isn't where I'd like him to be, he's managed two saves in a row without giving up a run, so it looks like he's getting back on the right track, too.
Yes, the Phillies did just complete a four game sweep of the Washington Nationals, but they did what good teams are supposed to do to bad teams. They're now four games over the .500 mark, and their offense looks like it's starting to get back to where it needs to be. Aside from Chan Ho Park today, the pitching was splendid, and hopefully, this sweep can be the launching point for the Phillies toward the All Star break.
Tomorrow, the Phils have an off day as they travel to Cincinnati. Tuesday, Jamie Moyer (3-3, 8.15 ERA) goes up against Johnny Cueto (4-1, 1.93 ERA). Let's see if the Phils can turn their four game winning streak into a five gamer.
Go Phils!
Thanks to some horrible fielding by the Nationals, the Phillies came from behind in the eighth inning to complete a four game sweep in Washington.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins went 2-5 with a stolen base, a run scored and an RBI. His batting average is now a robust .222.
Chase Utley went 1-3 with an RBI and two walks.
Jayson Werth went 2-5 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Shane Victorino went 1-3 with a walk and two RBI.
The bullpen pitched seven and 2/3rds innings of great baseball, allowing just one run on four hits. Sergio Escalona picked up the win in his major league debut.
What went wrong?
Chan Ho Park lasted just one and 1/3rd innings, allowing five runs on five hits. He walked four and struck out two.
Raul Ibanez went 0-4 with a walk.
Carlos Ruiz went 0-4.
Game Analysis:
Chan Ho Park, you may now thank the Philadelphia bullpen. Just one day after getting a rest, the Phillies needed their bullpen more than ever today, as Park couldn't even get out of the second inning against one of the worst teams in baseball. Park had looked more aggressive in his last two starts, but it was clear from the start today that he didn't have that same spark against Washington. Fortunately for him, the Phillies were able to come back again, so the game ended up being more about that than it did about how horrible he played.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not happy at all with the way Park looked today. He had no control, lost an early 3-0 lead and was just plain bad the entire time he was in there. However, once he left, the bullpen came in, and after Jack Taschner managed to get through some early trouble, the Phillies were able to get back into the game. Their offense was also good once again, as they were able to light up the Washington pitching staff for eight more runs, giving them 33 runs in the four game sweep. Even more promising is the fact that both Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley look to be warming up, and if they can continue to get hot with Raul Ibanez, Jayson Werth and Ryan Howard, the Phillies will be one of the most dangerous teams in the National League.
Not only that, but the back end of the lineup is still performing well. Pedro Feliz ended up having the game winning hit on a sacrifice attempt that ended up with him on third and two runs across the plate. He would then score on an RBI double by Eric Bruntlett, and the Phils wouldn't look back again. Ryan Madson got the day off, but Scott Eyre did just fine, and Brad Lidge needed only two pitches to get his seventh save of the season. While Lidge still isn't where I'd like him to be, he's managed two saves in a row without giving up a run, so it looks like he's getting back on the right track, too.
Yes, the Phillies did just complete a four game sweep of the Washington Nationals, but they did what good teams are supposed to do to bad teams. They're now four games over the .500 mark, and their offense looks like it's starting to get back to where it needs to be. Aside from Chan Ho Park today, the pitching was splendid, and hopefully, this sweep can be the launching point for the Phillies toward the All Star break.
Tomorrow, the Phils have an off day as they travel to Cincinnati. Tuesday, Jamie Moyer (3-3, 8.15 ERA) goes up against Johnny Cueto (4-1, 1.93 ERA). Let's see if the Phils can turn their four game winning streak into a five gamer.
Go Phils!
Phillie of the Week: May 10-16
This week's Phillie of the Week is:
Raul Ibanez
The Phillies started the week slowly, losing three of four, but by the time Saturday night's game came to a close, the Phils had won three in a row. A large part of that is thanks to Raul Ibanez and his pure domination over the Washington Nationals. He also played well against the Dodgers and Braves, and finished the week batting .481 with four home runs, 12 RBI and nine runs scored. He's never made an All Star team before, but at this rate, it'll be impossible to leave him off.
Raul Ibanez
The Phillies started the week slowly, losing three of four, but by the time Saturday night's game came to a close, the Phils had won three in a row. A large part of that is thanks to Raul Ibanez and his pure domination over the Washington Nationals. He also played well against the Dodgers and Braves, and finished the week batting .481 with four home runs, 12 RBI and nine runs scored. He's never made an All Star team before, but at this rate, it'll be impossible to leave him off.
Phillies Recap: Phillies-7, Nationals-5
Game Recap:
In a rain shortened game, the Phillies struck with homers from Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez, and were able to pick up their third straight win after the game was called.
What went right?
Raul Ibanez went 2-3 with a home run and three RBI.
Ryan Howard went 2-3 with a home run and two RBI.
Chase Utley went 3-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Jimmy Rollins went 2-3 with a triple and scored twice.
What went wrong?
Greg Dobbs went 0-3.
Shane Victorino was 0-2 with a walk.
Matt Stairs was 0-2 with a walk.
Game Analysis:
Ah, the doubleheader sweep. Not much feels better when it comes to baseball in May. Of course, it always helps when nature decides to come calling and cut the game short, but it was still official, so I'll take it. Andrew Carpenter made his first Major League start, and while he wasn't great, he did enough to keep the Phillies in the game. He pitched 4 and 1/3rd innings, gave up eight hits and five runs, but he did strike out four as well and he picked up the win. He'll more than likely be headed back down to Triple A later this week, but he did what he had to do tonight, and that first big league win can't be taken away from him.
Aside from that, the Phillies really came to hit in both games today. Raul Ibanez was particularly hitterish, as he went 5-8 with three homers and seven RBI in the two games. Chase Utley also seemed to rise up from his little slump, as he went 3-3 during the game. Carlos Ruiz also continued his hot streak, getting a bases loaded walk in the fourth inning, which is the 12th bases loaded walk for the Phils this season. If the bats can continue to stay warm with the starting pitching starting to come around, the Phillies could be right back where they were last year, and that's a very good thing.
The Phils will also benefit from the rain, since they only had to tap into their bullpen once in the second game. Clay Condrey picked up the save for his 2/3rds of an inning of work, while everyone else got to sit back and watch as the Washington ground crew struggled to put the tarp on. Hopefully, the Phillies will have just about everyone available out of the bullpen tomorrow, since almost everyone got to rest in the second game.
It wasn't a full game, but it was official, and I'll take a weather shortened doubleheader sweep over a split any day of the week. Tomorrow, the Phillies try to make it a four game sweep of the Nationals as Chan Ho Park (1-1, 6.00 ERA) faces Jordan Zimmerman (2-1, 5.90 ERA).
In a rain shortened game, the Phillies struck with homers from Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez, and were able to pick up their third straight win after the game was called.
What went right?
Raul Ibanez went 2-3 with a home run and three RBI.
Ryan Howard went 2-3 with a home run and two RBI.
Chase Utley went 3-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Jimmy Rollins went 2-3 with a triple and scored twice.
What went wrong?
Greg Dobbs went 0-3.
Shane Victorino was 0-2 with a walk.
Matt Stairs was 0-2 with a walk.
Game Analysis:
Ah, the doubleheader sweep. Not much feels better when it comes to baseball in May. Of course, it always helps when nature decides to come calling and cut the game short, but it was still official, so I'll take it. Andrew Carpenter made his first Major League start, and while he wasn't great, he did enough to keep the Phillies in the game. He pitched 4 and 1/3rd innings, gave up eight hits and five runs, but he did strike out four as well and he picked up the win. He'll more than likely be headed back down to Triple A later this week, but he did what he had to do tonight, and that first big league win can't be taken away from him.
Aside from that, the Phillies really came to hit in both games today. Raul Ibanez was particularly hitterish, as he went 5-8 with three homers and seven RBI in the two games. Chase Utley also seemed to rise up from his little slump, as he went 3-3 during the game. Carlos Ruiz also continued his hot streak, getting a bases loaded walk in the fourth inning, which is the 12th bases loaded walk for the Phils this season. If the bats can continue to stay warm with the starting pitching starting to come around, the Phillies could be right back where they were last year, and that's a very good thing.
The Phils will also benefit from the rain, since they only had to tap into their bullpen once in the second game. Clay Condrey picked up the save for his 2/3rds of an inning of work, while everyone else got to sit back and watch as the Washington ground crew struggled to put the tarp on. Hopefully, the Phillies will have just about everyone available out of the bullpen tomorrow, since almost everyone got to rest in the second game.
It wasn't a full game, but it was official, and I'll take a weather shortened doubleheader sweep over a split any day of the week. Tomorrow, the Phillies try to make it a four game sweep of the Nationals as Chan Ho Park (1-1, 6.00 ERA) faces Jordan Zimmerman (2-1, 5.90 ERA).
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Phillies Recap: Phillies-8, Nationals-5
Game Recap:
The Phillies got seven strong innings from Brett Myers to go along with two Raul Ibanez home runs as they took the first game of their doubleheader against the Nationals.
What went right?
Brett Myers pitched seven great innings, allowing only two runs. He struck out eight and walked just two.
Raul Ibanez went 3-5 with two home runs.
Jayson Werth went 3-5 with a home run.
Jimmy Rollins went 2-4 with an RBI and raised his batting average to .207.
Brad Lidge pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up the save.
What went wrong?
Ryan Madson was shelled in the eighth inning. He allowed four hits and three runs, making an 8-2 game much closer than it should have been.
Eric Bruntlett started for Chase Utley, and went 0-4.
Game Analysis:
After last night's twelve inning marathon, the Phillies needed a good start out of Brett Myers. He was either going to have to dominate and stay in for most of the game, or get shelled and take it. Fortunately for the Phillies, Myers pitched a gem, going seven innings and allowing just two runs on three hits. He's looking better and better as the season is coming along, and that's certainly something to smile about. Not only that, but Brad Lidge finally got a save without giving up a run, which is another good thing.
Ryan Madson was hit hard, but that happens to almost every relief pitcher at least once during the season. Considering how well he's been throwing this year, I doubt that there's anything to worry about, at least not yet. If it continues, then I might get worried, but for now, I'll be happy with the fact that the Phillies had a six run lead going into the eighth inning.
As he has been for most of the season, Raul Ibanez was again on point in the first game. He started things off with a solo home run in the first inning, then capped it with a three run shot in the third that essentially wrapped the game up with the way Myers was pitching. Ibanez has killed the Nationals this year, with five of his homers coming against them. Maybe the Phillies should try and play them even more than they already do. I know it's still early in the season, but I don't think I've ever seen a player do so well for the Phillies this quickly after joining the team than Raul Ibanez. I certainly won't complain...have you seen how Pat Burrell is playing in Tampa? I think he misses Philly more than ever.
For all intensive purposes, this was the best way this first game could have played out for the Phils. They got a great start from Myers, some early offense and very little usage out of their bullpen. It's exactly what they needed. Their starting pitching is looking better and better, and if Lidge can actually save a few games in a row without having us clutch our chests, I think everything might still be OK. I just hope that Chase Utley can start to pull through, because Eric Bruntlett sure isn't very useful right now.
In about five minutes, the Phils start up game number two of the day. Andrew Carpenter will be making his Major League debut for the Phillies, as he takes on Daniel Cabrera (0-4, 4.98 ERA). Hopefully, the Phillies can keep up this little winning streak they're on right now. Go watch the game!
The Phillies got seven strong innings from Brett Myers to go along with two Raul Ibanez home runs as they took the first game of their doubleheader against the Nationals.
What went right?
Brett Myers pitched seven great innings, allowing only two runs. He struck out eight and walked just two.
Raul Ibanez went 3-5 with two home runs.
Jayson Werth went 3-5 with a home run.
Jimmy Rollins went 2-4 with an RBI and raised his batting average to .207.
Brad Lidge pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up the save.
What went wrong?
Ryan Madson was shelled in the eighth inning. He allowed four hits and three runs, making an 8-2 game much closer than it should have been.
Eric Bruntlett started for Chase Utley, and went 0-4.
Game Analysis:
After last night's twelve inning marathon, the Phillies needed a good start out of Brett Myers. He was either going to have to dominate and stay in for most of the game, or get shelled and take it. Fortunately for the Phillies, Myers pitched a gem, going seven innings and allowing just two runs on three hits. He's looking better and better as the season is coming along, and that's certainly something to smile about. Not only that, but Brad Lidge finally got a save without giving up a run, which is another good thing.
Ryan Madson was hit hard, but that happens to almost every relief pitcher at least once during the season. Considering how well he's been throwing this year, I doubt that there's anything to worry about, at least not yet. If it continues, then I might get worried, but for now, I'll be happy with the fact that the Phillies had a six run lead going into the eighth inning.
As he has been for most of the season, Raul Ibanez was again on point in the first game. He started things off with a solo home run in the first inning, then capped it with a three run shot in the third that essentially wrapped the game up with the way Myers was pitching. Ibanez has killed the Nationals this year, with five of his homers coming against them. Maybe the Phillies should try and play them even more than they already do. I know it's still early in the season, but I don't think I've ever seen a player do so well for the Phillies this quickly after joining the team than Raul Ibanez. I certainly won't complain...have you seen how Pat Burrell is playing in Tampa? I think he misses Philly more than ever.
For all intensive purposes, this was the best way this first game could have played out for the Phils. They got a great start from Myers, some early offense and very little usage out of their bullpen. It's exactly what they needed. Their starting pitching is looking better and better, and if Lidge can actually save a few games in a row without having us clutch our chests, I think everything might still be OK. I just hope that Chase Utley can start to pull through, because Eric Bruntlett sure isn't very useful right now.
In about five minutes, the Phils start up game number two of the day. Andrew Carpenter will be making his Major League debut for the Phillies, as he takes on Daniel Cabrera (0-4, 4.98 ERA). Hopefully, the Phillies can keep up this little winning streak they're on right now. Go watch the game!
Phillies Recap: Phillies-10, Nationals-6
Sorry for the delay on this one. My Internet decided to crap out last night, and I was drunk...really drunk. Plus, I just finished an eight hour shift at work, so this is the first time I've had to put this up.
Game Recap:
After Brad Lidge blew his second save of the season, the Phillies scored four times in the top of the 12th inning to get past the Nationals last night.
What went right?
Raul Ibanez went 4-6 with two RBI and three runs scored.
Pedro Feliz went 4-5 with two walks and two RBI.
Carlos Ruiz continued his recent hot streak, going 3-6 with two RBI.
Aside from Brad Lidge, the bullpen pitched six shutout innings.
Ryan Howard broke out of a week long homerless drought with a three run shot in the seventh inning that put the Phillies on top, but...
What went wrong?
...Brad Lidge blew his second save of the season, giving up two runs in the bottom of the ninth.
Joe Blanton didn't have his control and only lasted five innings. He allowed four runs, walked six and struck out five.
Chase Utley went 0-3 with two walks, making him 0 for his last five games.
Game Analysis:
There's winning, and then there's winning ugly. That's what the Phillies did last night, as they had to hop on the comeback train twice against the Nationals. The only problem was that they shouldn't have had to play any longer than the ninth inning.
I've been saying this for about a week now, but I don't know what's wrong with Brad Lidge. Maybe this is some Bizzaro-World impostor or something, but he just hasn't looked right at all this season. He needs to pick things up, stop allowing runs and just get back on track. The Phillies need him to pitch like he did last year, or they're just going to end up like the Mets were the last two seasons, and no one I know wants that...except the Mets fans.
Joe Blanton was also a problem, as he only lasted five innings. Of course, he did manage to keep the Phillies in the game, which is all you can expect from your fourth starter, so it wasn't all bad. He definitely didn't have his control last night, and it cost him. Six walks in five innings isn't good for anything, especially the night before a doubleheader when you need your bullpen to be rested and ready. Considering how much the Phillies have had to use theirs, something like what Blanton did isn't going to help. I know he's not going to win the Cy Young Award, but in a game like that, against one of the worst teams in baseball, he should be able to go at least seven innings. Sure, the Phillies won, but still, it could have been better.
That being said, I've got to take my hat off for the back end of the lineup right now. Pedro Feliz and Carlos Ruiz have just been on fire lately, and without them, the Phils wouldn't have won last night. If this is Bizzaro-World Carlos Ruiz, I'd like to keep him, thank you very much. The same thing goes with Feliz. He's gathered six walks in the past week, and he had none before that for the entire month of May, and I'm liking what I'm seeing out of him. Last year, it pained me to see him in the lineup every day, especially when the Phils had Greg Dobbs sitting on the bench. Now, Dobbs can stay there, because Feliz is back to full strength and actually looks like a solid third baseman.
Like I said at the start, it was an ugly win, but what matters is that it was a win. I'm not going to go into starters for game one of the doubleheader, since it's already over. That recap is coming shortly.
Game Recap:
After Brad Lidge blew his second save of the season, the Phillies scored four times in the top of the 12th inning to get past the Nationals last night.
What went right?
Raul Ibanez went 4-6 with two RBI and three runs scored.
Pedro Feliz went 4-5 with two walks and two RBI.
Carlos Ruiz continued his recent hot streak, going 3-6 with two RBI.
Aside from Brad Lidge, the bullpen pitched six shutout innings.
Ryan Howard broke out of a week long homerless drought with a three run shot in the seventh inning that put the Phillies on top, but...
What went wrong?
...Brad Lidge blew his second save of the season, giving up two runs in the bottom of the ninth.
Joe Blanton didn't have his control and only lasted five innings. He allowed four runs, walked six and struck out five.
Chase Utley went 0-3 with two walks, making him 0 for his last five games.
Game Analysis:
There's winning, and then there's winning ugly. That's what the Phillies did last night, as they had to hop on the comeback train twice against the Nationals. The only problem was that they shouldn't have had to play any longer than the ninth inning.
I've been saying this for about a week now, but I don't know what's wrong with Brad Lidge. Maybe this is some Bizzaro-World impostor or something, but he just hasn't looked right at all this season. He needs to pick things up, stop allowing runs and just get back on track. The Phillies need him to pitch like he did last year, or they're just going to end up like the Mets were the last two seasons, and no one I know wants that...except the Mets fans.
Joe Blanton was also a problem, as he only lasted five innings. Of course, he did manage to keep the Phillies in the game, which is all you can expect from your fourth starter, so it wasn't all bad. He definitely didn't have his control last night, and it cost him. Six walks in five innings isn't good for anything, especially the night before a doubleheader when you need your bullpen to be rested and ready. Considering how much the Phillies have had to use theirs, something like what Blanton did isn't going to help. I know he's not going to win the Cy Young Award, but in a game like that, against one of the worst teams in baseball, he should be able to go at least seven innings. Sure, the Phillies won, but still, it could have been better.
That being said, I've got to take my hat off for the back end of the lineup right now. Pedro Feliz and Carlos Ruiz have just been on fire lately, and without them, the Phils wouldn't have won last night. If this is Bizzaro-World Carlos Ruiz, I'd like to keep him, thank you very much. The same thing goes with Feliz. He's gathered six walks in the past week, and he had none before that for the entire month of May, and I'm liking what I'm seeing out of him. Last year, it pained me to see him in the lineup every day, especially when the Phils had Greg Dobbs sitting on the bench. Now, Dobbs can stay there, because Feliz is back to full strength and actually looks like a solid third baseman.
Like I said at the start, it was an ugly win, but what matters is that it was a win. I'm not going to go into starters for game one of the doubleheader, since it's already over. That recap is coming shortly.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Phillies visit the White House
It took a while, but the World Champions finally got to meet the President. Jimmy Rollins presented President Obama with his team jersey, and Obama wanted Jimmy's ring. Judging by the way Jimmy's been playing lately, I think he should give it to him.
(Picture is thanks to the fine people over at the 700 level.com.)
Of course, there's video, too. Enjoy:
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Phillies Recap: Dodgers-5, Phillies-3
Game Recap:
After Carlos Ruiz tied the game with a two out, two run double in the ninth inning, Chad Durbin was hit for two runs in the tenth inning as the Phillies dropped their second straight game to the Dodgers.
What went right?
Carlos Ruiz continued his recent hot streak, going 2-2 with his first two RBI of the season, as well as two walks. Fear the Chooooooch!
Cole Hamels continued to get back to his World Series MVP form, throwing seven innings of seven hit, two run baseball. He struck out nine and walked one, and was on the hook for the loss before Ruiz came up big in the ninth.
What went wrong?
Jayson Werth went 0-4 with four strikeouts.
Chase Utley still couldn't find his way on the homestand, going 0-3 with two strikeouts.
Ryan Howard drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning, but finished the game 0-4 with two strikeouts.
Brad Lidge still didn't look too hot, giving up a run in the ninth inning.
Chad Durbin was pegged with the loss, allowing two runs in the top of the tenth inning.
Game Analysis:
I don't know what is wrong with the Phillies right now, but I don't like it. Their pitching finally starts to come around, and their bats go quiet. Chase Utley and Ryan Howard were totally useless in this series, with neither one of them getting a hit against the Dodgers. When the two biggest bats in your lineup can't hit the ball, you're not going to win games, and that's what happened with the Phils in this series. When Cole Hamels is pitching like he did today, you have to find a way to get runs home, and the Phillies just couldn't do it. They had Chad Billingsley on the ropes a few times, but a baserunning mistake in the fifth inning cost them a big chance to break the game open, as runners on the corners with one out turned into a bizarre strike out, throw out double play.
The blame for this loss can also be placed on Charlie Manuel, though only slightly. I'm not sure why exactly he would bring Brad Lidge into a non save situation, with the Phillies losing in the ninth inning. Maybe it was the only arm he wanted to have in at that time, but either way, he wasted Lidge for a later inning, and he might have needed him more in the tenth inning. Besides, Lidge still doesn't look anything like the player he was last year, and I still think his knee is bothering him. He's getting lit up almost every time he comes into the game, and while he gave up his share of hits last year, he didn't give up many runs. This year, those baserunners are turning into runs, and it's a big problem. An 8.59 ERA isn't good enough for anyone, let alone a man who didn't blow a save last season.
The Phillies need to start getting their act together. They just dropped two straight to a team without their best player, and their big bats aren't hitting right now. Maybe a trip to Washington will be a good thing, but if they lose this series to the Nationals, it could be the start of something bad. These next four games are incredibly important, as I don't want to see the Phils at or under .500 any more.
Tomorrow, Joe Blanton (1-3, 6.82 ERA) faces off against John Lannon (2-3, 3.89 ERA). My old roommate and I referred to Lannon as "Emo Pitcher." We were younger and drunk, what do you want from us? Either way, go Phillies!
After Carlos Ruiz tied the game with a two out, two run double in the ninth inning, Chad Durbin was hit for two runs in the tenth inning as the Phillies dropped their second straight game to the Dodgers.
What went right?
Carlos Ruiz continued his recent hot streak, going 2-2 with his first two RBI of the season, as well as two walks. Fear the Chooooooch!
Cole Hamels continued to get back to his World Series MVP form, throwing seven innings of seven hit, two run baseball. He struck out nine and walked one, and was on the hook for the loss before Ruiz came up big in the ninth.
What went wrong?
Jayson Werth went 0-4 with four strikeouts.
Chase Utley still couldn't find his way on the homestand, going 0-3 with two strikeouts.
Ryan Howard drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning, but finished the game 0-4 with two strikeouts.
Brad Lidge still didn't look too hot, giving up a run in the ninth inning.
Chad Durbin was pegged with the loss, allowing two runs in the top of the tenth inning.
Game Analysis:
I don't know what is wrong with the Phillies right now, but I don't like it. Their pitching finally starts to come around, and their bats go quiet. Chase Utley and Ryan Howard were totally useless in this series, with neither one of them getting a hit against the Dodgers. When the two biggest bats in your lineup can't hit the ball, you're not going to win games, and that's what happened with the Phils in this series. When Cole Hamels is pitching like he did today, you have to find a way to get runs home, and the Phillies just couldn't do it. They had Chad Billingsley on the ropes a few times, but a baserunning mistake in the fifth inning cost them a big chance to break the game open, as runners on the corners with one out turned into a bizarre strike out, throw out double play.
The blame for this loss can also be placed on Charlie Manuel, though only slightly. I'm not sure why exactly he would bring Brad Lidge into a non save situation, with the Phillies losing in the ninth inning. Maybe it was the only arm he wanted to have in at that time, but either way, he wasted Lidge for a later inning, and he might have needed him more in the tenth inning. Besides, Lidge still doesn't look anything like the player he was last year, and I still think his knee is bothering him. He's getting lit up almost every time he comes into the game, and while he gave up his share of hits last year, he didn't give up many runs. This year, those baserunners are turning into runs, and it's a big problem. An 8.59 ERA isn't good enough for anyone, let alone a man who didn't blow a save last season.
The Phillies need to start getting their act together. They just dropped two straight to a team without their best player, and their big bats aren't hitting right now. Maybe a trip to Washington will be a good thing, but if they lose this series to the Nationals, it could be the start of something bad. These next four games are incredibly important, as I don't want to see the Phils at or under .500 any more.
Tomorrow, Joe Blanton (1-3, 6.82 ERA) faces off against John Lannon (2-3, 3.89 ERA). My old roommate and I referred to Lannon as "Emo Pitcher." We were younger and drunk, what do you want from us? Either way, go Phillies!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Phillies Recap: Dodgers-9, Phillies-2
Game Recap:
Jamie Moyer was roughed up for the third straight start as the Dodgers pounded the Phillies tonight.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins brought his batting average back to .200 with a second inning home run.
Raul Ibanez hit his tenth homer of the season in the bottom of the ninth inning, and finished the game 1-4.
Carlos Ruiz went 2-2 with two walks.
What went wrong?
Jamie Moyer was beaten every which way in the fourth inning, allowing five runs, and then he didn't make it out of the fifth inning. He finished the game by allowing seven runs on eight hits and striking out only one.
Chase Utley's woes continued, as he went 0-3 with a walk.
Shane Victorino went 0-5 in the leadoff spot.
Ryan Howard went 0-4 with three strikeouts.
Game Analysis:
As much as it pains me to say it, Jamie Moyer needs to be taken out of the starting rotation. As each one of the other Phillies pitchers is getting better, Moyer is getting worse. This is the third straight start that Moyer has been roughed up in, and he hasn't made it through the sixth inning since a 13-2 win against Florida back at the end of April. I will always love Moyer's performance last year, but he just hasn't been sharp lately. I don't know if that's age finally catching up to him, or opposing batters just getting to him, but he doesn't have what he needs, and when a junk ball pitcher like Moyer is getting hit hard, he's not going to get people out.
It's time for J.A. Happ to get his turn in the rotation. So far, Happ has looked great out of the bullpen, and with the doubleheader coming up against Washington this weekend, it's likely that he's going to get a chance to start in one of those games. It would be the perfect chance to see how he does in the starting role, and if he does well, there's no reason not to keep him there and move Moyer to the bullpen. I know Moyer is popular, but there's only so much popularity behind an 8.15 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 35,1 innings of work. Meanwhile, the rest of the rotation is starting to form up, and Happ has a 2.75 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 19.2 innings. There isn't going to be a better time to make the switch, and right now time is of the essence. If the Phils stick with Moyer, and he continues to struggle, it's going to be a huge problem. They can't go out there every fifth start and basically assume that a loss is coming. Each starting pitcher needs to keep their team in the game, and right now Moyer is not doing that.
Other than that, the Phils were kept quiet by Randy Wolf and the Dodger bullpen for the entire game. I don't know what's wrong with Chase Utley right now, but he needs to fix it. If his hip is still bothering him a little bit, he needs to sit a few games. There's nothing wrong with sitting for a few now if it means you'll be around the rest of the season. Hopefully, the offensive woes will stop soon, because the Phillies still need everything to come together, as I've been harping on for the past few days.
Tomorrow, the Phillies play in the second Business Person's Special of the year, as Cole Hamels (1-2, 6.17 ERA) takes on Chad Billingsley (5-1, 2.45 ERA). You might remember Chad as the pitcher who got rocked in Games 2 and 5 of the NLCS last season. Hopefully, the Phillies can remind him of that.
Jamie Moyer was roughed up for the third straight start as the Dodgers pounded the Phillies tonight.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins brought his batting average back to .200 with a second inning home run.
Raul Ibanez hit his tenth homer of the season in the bottom of the ninth inning, and finished the game 1-4.
Carlos Ruiz went 2-2 with two walks.
What went wrong?
Jamie Moyer was beaten every which way in the fourth inning, allowing five runs, and then he didn't make it out of the fifth inning. He finished the game by allowing seven runs on eight hits and striking out only one.
Chase Utley's woes continued, as he went 0-3 with a walk.
Shane Victorino went 0-5 in the leadoff spot.
Ryan Howard went 0-4 with three strikeouts.
Game Analysis:
As much as it pains me to say it, Jamie Moyer needs to be taken out of the starting rotation. As each one of the other Phillies pitchers is getting better, Moyer is getting worse. This is the third straight start that Moyer has been roughed up in, and he hasn't made it through the sixth inning since a 13-2 win against Florida back at the end of April. I will always love Moyer's performance last year, but he just hasn't been sharp lately. I don't know if that's age finally catching up to him, or opposing batters just getting to him, but he doesn't have what he needs, and when a junk ball pitcher like Moyer is getting hit hard, he's not going to get people out.
It's time for J.A. Happ to get his turn in the rotation. So far, Happ has looked great out of the bullpen, and with the doubleheader coming up against Washington this weekend, it's likely that he's going to get a chance to start in one of those games. It would be the perfect chance to see how he does in the starting role, and if he does well, there's no reason not to keep him there and move Moyer to the bullpen. I know Moyer is popular, but there's only so much popularity behind an 8.15 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 35,1 innings of work. Meanwhile, the rest of the rotation is starting to form up, and Happ has a 2.75 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 19.2 innings. There isn't going to be a better time to make the switch, and right now time is of the essence. If the Phils stick with Moyer, and he continues to struggle, it's going to be a huge problem. They can't go out there every fifth start and basically assume that a loss is coming. Each starting pitcher needs to keep their team in the game, and right now Moyer is not doing that.
Other than that, the Phils were kept quiet by Randy Wolf and the Dodger bullpen for the entire game. I don't know what's wrong with Chase Utley right now, but he needs to fix it. If his hip is still bothering him a little bit, he needs to sit a few games. There's nothing wrong with sitting for a few now if it means you'll be around the rest of the season. Hopefully, the offensive woes will stop soon, because the Phillies still need everything to come together, as I've been harping on for the past few days.
Tomorrow, the Phillies play in the second Business Person's Special of the year, as Cole Hamels (1-2, 6.17 ERA) takes on Chad Billingsley (5-1, 2.45 ERA). You might remember Chad as the pitcher who got rocked in Games 2 and 5 of the NLCS last season. Hopefully, the Phillies can remind him of that.
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