Game Recap:
Joe Blanton threw seven solid innings, and Carlos Ruiz's two run double in the bottom of the seventh moved the Phillies to eight games up on both the Braves and the Marlins after the weekend series.
What went right?
Chase Utley was 1-4 with a solo home run.
Ryan Howard was 2-4.
Raul Ibanez only logged one official plate appearance, but did have three walks and scored once.
Pedro Feliz was 1-3 with a run scored.
Carlos Ruiz went 3-3 with two RBI.
Joe Blanton pitched seven innings, allowing one run on three hits. He walked four and struck out seven.
Brad Lidge pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his 27th save of the season.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-4.
Shane Victorino went 0-4.
Ryan Madson made the game interesting in the eighth, allowing a run on two hits without recording an out.
Game Analysis:
Leave it to Joe Blanton to keep doing what he's done since late May. Leaving out his first month and a half of the season, Blanton has been as close to a top line starter as possible. Last night was another example of that, as he shut down the Braves and pitched out of tight situations whenever he got into them.
The Phillies didn't get much on offense against Jair Jurrjens, but they got enough. Carlos Ruiz came through with a huge two run double in the seventh, and that would be all the Phils would need for the rest of the game. Ryan Madson did his best to lose it, but Scott Eyre played fireman and put out the blaze, thanks in large part to a great double play turned by Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Pedro Feliz in the top of the eighth. I don't want to jinx him, but Brad Lidge worked another perfect ninth inning in a one run game last night, and showed signs that maybe, just maybe, he's coming out of whatever horrid funk he's been in.
Going into the series against the Braves, I would have loved a sweep, but I would have taken two out of three, and that's exactly what the Phillies produced. The lead in the division is now eight games over both Atlanta and Florida, and with those two playing each other for four games starting tonight, the Phillies can't afford to put even more ground between them and the rest of the National League East. It's time for September baseball, and this is when the best teams separate themselves from the rest of the league.
Tomorrow, the Phillies start a three game series against the Giants. Cole Hamels (7-8, 4.52 ERA) goes against Jonathan Sanchez (6-10, 4.27 ERA).
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Phillie of the Week: August 23-29
The Phillies only went 4-3 this past week, but there were still some great showings. Of course, if this one guy keeps playing like he is, I might just name him the winner for the rest of the season. This week's Phillie of the Week is:
Ryan Howard
The big man was even better than last week, hitting .310 with five home runs and 12 RBI in seven games this week. There are few things in this world that are certain, and one of them appears to be Ryan Howard's hot streak once late August gets here.
Ryan Howard
The big man was even better than last week, hitting .310 with five home runs and 12 RBI in seven games this week. There are few things in this world that are certain, and one of them appears to be Ryan Howard's hot streak once late August gets here.
Phillies Recap: Braves-9, Phillies-1
Game Recap:
Cliff Lee got rocked for the first time as a Phillie as the Braves took an easy win in a rain shortened game last night.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 2-4.
Chase Utley was 3-4 with a solo home run.
What went wrong?
The Phillies left 11 men on base.
Cliff Lee struggled for the first time with the Phils, allowing six runs on ten hits in five innings. He struck out five, didn't walk a batter and allowed three home runs.
Chad Durbin was even worse, allowing three runs on two hits in a single inning of work.
Game Analysis:
You knew it was coming eventually. No matter how well Cliff Lee had been pitching, everyone should have seen that he would eventually get lit up in a game. It happens to every pitcher, but of course it would happen against the team the Phillies are trying to break away from in the National League East, but what are you going to do? Lee was man enough to say he made bad pitches last night, and that's what I want to hear. If you pitch badly, take responsibility for it. Don't blame it on the ballpark, like the Braves always do. Be a man and say you screwed up.
The offense had one of those live or die by the home run nights last night, too. The Phillies had 11 hits, but only scored one run and left 11 men on base. This team has a great offense, but when it goes cold, it seems like they can't do anything right. Small ball is not an option with these bats, so they have to find a way to score runs with men on third. I can't even remember the last time the Phillies had a sacrifice fly. That's all I want to see is the small stuff like that, even every once and a while. This power offense stuff worked last year, but against a good pitching team, the Phillies have to find another way to score runs beside the homer. It's just something that has to happen.
Anyway, it's still ok. The Braves are still seven back, pending tonight's game, and as the season comes down the home stretch, this is right where I want the Phils to be.
Tonight, Joe Blanton (8-6, 3.88 ERA) looks to give the Phillies the series win as he goes against Jair Jurrjens (10-8, 2.98 ERA). This should be a good one.
Cliff Lee got rocked for the first time as a Phillie as the Braves took an easy win in a rain shortened game last night.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 2-4.
Chase Utley was 3-4 with a solo home run.
What went wrong?
The Phillies left 11 men on base.
Cliff Lee struggled for the first time with the Phils, allowing six runs on ten hits in five innings. He struck out five, didn't walk a batter and allowed three home runs.
Chad Durbin was even worse, allowing three runs on two hits in a single inning of work.
Game Analysis:
You knew it was coming eventually. No matter how well Cliff Lee had been pitching, everyone should have seen that he would eventually get lit up in a game. It happens to every pitcher, but of course it would happen against the team the Phillies are trying to break away from in the National League East, but what are you going to do? Lee was man enough to say he made bad pitches last night, and that's what I want to hear. If you pitch badly, take responsibility for it. Don't blame it on the ballpark, like the Braves always do. Be a man and say you screwed up.
The offense had one of those live or die by the home run nights last night, too. The Phillies had 11 hits, but only scored one run and left 11 men on base. This team has a great offense, but when it goes cold, it seems like they can't do anything right. Small ball is not an option with these bats, so they have to find a way to score runs with men on third. I can't even remember the last time the Phillies had a sacrifice fly. That's all I want to see is the small stuff like that, even every once and a while. This power offense stuff worked last year, but against a good pitching team, the Phillies have to find another way to score runs beside the homer. It's just something that has to happen.
Anyway, it's still ok. The Braves are still seven back, pending tonight's game, and as the season comes down the home stretch, this is right where I want the Phils to be.
Tonight, Joe Blanton (8-6, 3.88 ERA) looks to give the Phillies the series win as he goes against Jair Jurrjens (10-8, 2.98 ERA). This should be a good one.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Phillies Recap: Phillies-4, Braves-2
Game Recap:
Ryan Howard launched two more home runs, and Jamie Moyer looked great after spelling Pedro Martinez as the Phillies took the first game of a big series against Atlanta.
What went right?
Chase Utley was 1-4 and scored a run.
Ryan Howard went 3-3 with a double, two home runs and three RBI.
Pedro Feliz went 2-3 with an RBI.
Raul Ibanez was 1-4 with a triple and a run scored.
Jamie Moyer came in after rain forced Pedro Martinez out and looked good, throwing 4.1 innings and allowing just one run on four hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out five.
Brad Lidge pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to pick up the save.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-4.
Shane Victorino was 0-4.
Ryan Madson did his best to make sure that Lidge wouldn't get a chance to save the game, allowing a run on three hits and a walk in the eighth inning.
Game Analysis:
After a poor showing in Pittsburgh, the Phillies needed a game like this. Yes it helped that Tommy Hanson was knocked out of the game because of the rain delay, but that's part of baseball. Ryan Howard is still the hottest thing going in baseball right now, and if he keeps this up, it's going to be a coast down to the end of the season.
Apparently, all that Jamie Moyer needs to pitch well is to rest for ten days, come out of the bullpen when it rains and replace Pedro Martinez. If that's what it takes, I'll gladly keep it raining every time Pedro pitches from this point on. Moyer looked like a man on a mission again last night. I know he's upset about losing his spot in the rotation, but if he keeps pitching like this out of the bullpen, the Phillies are going to be happy to have him there. I really think he would be better there than Pedro would be, so I'm all for keeping him right where he is for as long as the Phillies want to.
I'm not going to say much about Brad Lidge right now, since it was just one game, but he looked like a different pitcher last night. He had the bite on his slider again, and was getting people fishing at it. Matt Diaz looked silly on his last two swings to end the game, and that was after getting up 3-0 in the count. This is the Brad Lidge the Phillies need in order to succeed in October. Last night, the Phillies came out in a big situation for both teams, and took it to the Braves. It was a statement, and hopefully that continues throughout the rest of this series and this season.
Tonight, Cliff Lee (12-9, 2.63 ERA) looks for his sixth straight win as a Phillie. He'll be facing Derek Lowe (12-8, 4.48 ERA). Lowe hates pitching in Philly, so hopefully the Phils can make him hate it even more tonight.
Ryan Howard launched two more home runs, and Jamie Moyer looked great after spelling Pedro Martinez as the Phillies took the first game of a big series against Atlanta.
What went right?
Chase Utley was 1-4 and scored a run.
Ryan Howard went 3-3 with a double, two home runs and three RBI.
Pedro Feliz went 2-3 with an RBI.
Raul Ibanez was 1-4 with a triple and a run scored.
Jamie Moyer came in after rain forced Pedro Martinez out and looked good, throwing 4.1 innings and allowing just one run on four hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out five.
Brad Lidge pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to pick up the save.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-4.
Shane Victorino was 0-4.
Ryan Madson did his best to make sure that Lidge wouldn't get a chance to save the game, allowing a run on three hits and a walk in the eighth inning.
Game Analysis:
After a poor showing in Pittsburgh, the Phillies needed a game like this. Yes it helped that Tommy Hanson was knocked out of the game because of the rain delay, but that's part of baseball. Ryan Howard is still the hottest thing going in baseball right now, and if he keeps this up, it's going to be a coast down to the end of the season.
Apparently, all that Jamie Moyer needs to pitch well is to rest for ten days, come out of the bullpen when it rains and replace Pedro Martinez. If that's what it takes, I'll gladly keep it raining every time Pedro pitches from this point on. Moyer looked like a man on a mission again last night. I know he's upset about losing his spot in the rotation, but if he keeps pitching like this out of the bullpen, the Phillies are going to be happy to have him there. I really think he would be better there than Pedro would be, so I'm all for keeping him right where he is for as long as the Phillies want to.
I'm not going to say much about Brad Lidge right now, since it was just one game, but he looked like a different pitcher last night. He had the bite on his slider again, and was getting people fishing at it. Matt Diaz looked silly on his last two swings to end the game, and that was after getting up 3-0 in the count. This is the Brad Lidge the Phillies need in order to succeed in October. Last night, the Phillies came out in a big situation for both teams, and took it to the Braves. It was a statement, and hopefully that continues throughout the rest of this series and this season.
Tonight, Cliff Lee (12-9, 2.63 ERA) looks for his sixth straight win as a Phillie. He'll be facing Derek Lowe (12-8, 4.48 ERA). Lowe hates pitching in Philly, so hopefully the Phils can make him hate it even more tonight.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Eagles Aftermath: Eagles-33, Jaguars-32
What happened?
Aside from the noise about Michael Vick's debut, the Eagles looked decidedly average against the Jaguars last night, with their backups pulling out a last second win.
The Good:
Jason Avant caught five passes in the first half for 92 yards.
Donovan McNabb was decent, completing 21 of 36 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown. He also threw an interception, and was charged with a fumble.
Despite the score, the first team defense looked very sharp last night. Asante Samuel was on top of things all night, making several nice tackles and grabbing an interception. He looked like he might be developing into that leader the Eagles need on defense.
Kevin Kolb honestly didn't look bad. He completed ten of 18 passes for just over 100 yards and a touchdown, and moved the Eagles down the field for the game winning field goal. Of course, he also got called for intentional grounding in the end zone on his first play, but what are you going to do?
There were no serious injuries.
The Bad:
The running game was nonexistant. LeSean McCoy led the team with 31 yards on 11 carries.
The Eagles committed eight penalties.
They also turned the ball over three times, and had a safety called against them.
The Ugly:
One of those turnovers was a 92 yard fumble return on a backwards pass from McNabb to McCoy in the second quarter.
Did I mention the running game already?
The Breakdown:
You'll notice that I didn't mention Michael Vick at all, aside from the opening statement. That's because I wasn't disappointed, or too thrilled, with his debut last night. The crowd gave him a nice hand, and he didn't look bad, but something seemed a bit off about switching quarterbacks like that. Andy's always been a coach that likes to be "cute" on the field, and I think that's what Vick is for him. It's a chance for him to be even more cute on offense. The only problem is that is can break up a good rhythm on a drive, and Vick doesn't know the system that well yet. That much was obvious last night. He still doesn't fully have his sea legs back yet, and it's understandable. More knowledge will come in time, and I'm sure Andy's got all kinds of fun plays drawn up...but I need the offense to look better before it gets cute.
There were a few glaring problems last night that I saw. The first one was the lack of a running game. LeSean McCoy just couldn't get anything going and looked off all night. If your leading runner only picks up 31 yards, then he's not cutting it. The running game should always either set up or compliment the passing game, and without it, defenses can pin their ears back and go after the quarterback. It was the same problem the Eagles had last season at times, and it looked like the same old story last night.
The other issue stems directly from the lack of a running game, and that's Andy's inability to call something other than a pass from inside the ten yard line. The Eagles had this problem last year, too. Their offense is great when they have a lot of room to work with, but once the field gets crunched down, it doesn't work so well. This is why they need a good running game, or at least someone to keep the defense honest. The first team got two shots inside the ten in the first half, and didn't run the ball once. The first time ended with a horrid looking backwards pass from McNabb to McCoy that Jacksonville returned for a touchdown. I'm not blaming McNabb for that, as far as I'm concerned, McCoy should have either caught that ball or fallen on it, just to be safe. You have to play until the whistle, kid. The second time, McNabb threw three straight passes, and the Eagles had to settle for a David Akers field goal. Yes, there was little time on the clock, but a single run couldn't have hurt. It would have been something to keep the defense honest.
At least the first team defense looked better last night. Asante Samuel was all over the field, and looked like the guy that could take charge of this defense this season. He knocked out a Jacksonville receiver at the one yard line, but Torry Holt picked up the fumble and scored. It was a great hit, but again, Asante needed to finish that play. Don't celebrate the hit until you grab the ball. He made up for it with an interception later in the first half, and overall the defense was impressive. They kept Maurice Jones-Drew under wraps for most of the first half, and had David Garrard under pressure with several nice looking blitzes. If you were just looking at the stats, you would have thought the Eagles had won in a blowout, but mistakes by the offense kept the game close.
Luckily, it's still just preseason, and these things can be worked out. However, there's only one game left before they count, and if the Eagles make these same mistakes against Carolina, then there's going to be some issues.
Aside from the noise about Michael Vick's debut, the Eagles looked decidedly average against the Jaguars last night, with their backups pulling out a last second win.
The Good:
Jason Avant caught five passes in the first half for 92 yards.
Donovan McNabb was decent, completing 21 of 36 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown. He also threw an interception, and was charged with a fumble.
Despite the score, the first team defense looked very sharp last night. Asante Samuel was on top of things all night, making several nice tackles and grabbing an interception. He looked like he might be developing into that leader the Eagles need on defense.
Kevin Kolb honestly didn't look bad. He completed ten of 18 passes for just over 100 yards and a touchdown, and moved the Eagles down the field for the game winning field goal. Of course, he also got called for intentional grounding in the end zone on his first play, but what are you going to do?
There were no serious injuries.
The Bad:
The running game was nonexistant. LeSean McCoy led the team with 31 yards on 11 carries.
The Eagles committed eight penalties.
They also turned the ball over three times, and had a safety called against them.
The Ugly:
One of those turnovers was a 92 yard fumble return on a backwards pass from McNabb to McCoy in the second quarter.
Did I mention the running game already?
The Breakdown:
You'll notice that I didn't mention Michael Vick at all, aside from the opening statement. That's because I wasn't disappointed, or too thrilled, with his debut last night. The crowd gave him a nice hand, and he didn't look bad, but something seemed a bit off about switching quarterbacks like that. Andy's always been a coach that likes to be "cute" on the field, and I think that's what Vick is for him. It's a chance for him to be even more cute on offense. The only problem is that is can break up a good rhythm on a drive, and Vick doesn't know the system that well yet. That much was obvious last night. He still doesn't fully have his sea legs back yet, and it's understandable. More knowledge will come in time, and I'm sure Andy's got all kinds of fun plays drawn up...but I need the offense to look better before it gets cute.
There were a few glaring problems last night that I saw. The first one was the lack of a running game. LeSean McCoy just couldn't get anything going and looked off all night. If your leading runner only picks up 31 yards, then he's not cutting it. The running game should always either set up or compliment the passing game, and without it, defenses can pin their ears back and go after the quarterback. It was the same problem the Eagles had last season at times, and it looked like the same old story last night.
The other issue stems directly from the lack of a running game, and that's Andy's inability to call something other than a pass from inside the ten yard line. The Eagles had this problem last year, too. Their offense is great when they have a lot of room to work with, but once the field gets crunched down, it doesn't work so well. This is why they need a good running game, or at least someone to keep the defense honest. The first team got two shots inside the ten in the first half, and didn't run the ball once. The first time ended with a horrid looking backwards pass from McNabb to McCoy that Jacksonville returned for a touchdown. I'm not blaming McNabb for that, as far as I'm concerned, McCoy should have either caught that ball or fallen on it, just to be safe. You have to play until the whistle, kid. The second time, McNabb threw three straight passes, and the Eagles had to settle for a David Akers field goal. Yes, there was little time on the clock, but a single run couldn't have hurt. It would have been something to keep the defense honest.
At least the first team defense looked better last night. Asante Samuel was all over the field, and looked like the guy that could take charge of this defense this season. He knocked out a Jacksonville receiver at the one yard line, but Torry Holt picked up the fumble and scored. It was a great hit, but again, Asante needed to finish that play. Don't celebrate the hit until you grab the ball. He made up for it with an interception later in the first half, and overall the defense was impressive. They kept Maurice Jones-Drew under wraps for most of the first half, and had David Garrard under pressure with several nice looking blitzes. If you were just looking at the stats, you would have thought the Eagles had won in a blowout, but mistakes by the offense kept the game close.
Luckily, it's still just preseason, and these things can be worked out. However, there's only one game left before they count, and if the Eagles make these same mistakes against Carolina, then there's going to be some issues.
Phillies Recap: Pirates-3, Phillies-2
Game Recap:
J.A. Happ pitched eight innings, but gave up a two run home run in the bottom of the eighth that proved to be his undoing last night.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins went 3-5 and scored a run.
Paul Bako was 2-2 with a solo home run.
J.A. Happ got the loss, but pitched well, allowing three runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out four.
What went wrong?
I'm not going to type this all out, but aside from Rollins and Bako, the offense went a combined 1-26 with nine strikeouts.
The Phillies left eight men on base.
Game Analysis:
J.A. Happ got the loss last night, but it wasn't his fault. The fault for that game lies with the offense and the fact that the Phillies have had problems for a while getting men in from scoring position. Last night, it was more of the same. The Phils loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning and only managed one run. That was a chance to break the game open early and coast, but the Phillies couldn't get it done.
I'm not torn up about the game last night, since it was just another game in August. These things happen to teams, even ones with potent offenses like Philadelphia. However, if it continues to be an issue and costs the Phillies even more games, then it could be a big problem. They had the same issues last year and won the World Series, so I'm not going to worry...yet. At least Happ looked good again last night, even in the loss. The boy can flat out pitch, and aside from that one bad pitch in the eighth inning, he was lights out.
Tonight, the Phils return home for a huge series against the Atlanta Braves. Pedro Martinez (2-0, 5.14 ERA), gets his first big game moment as a Phillie. He'll be taking on Tommy Hanson (9-2, 3.14 ERA). The Phillies need to get this series started the right way, so they can bury the Braves this weekend.
J.A. Happ pitched eight innings, but gave up a two run home run in the bottom of the eighth that proved to be his undoing last night.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins went 3-5 and scored a run.
Paul Bako was 2-2 with a solo home run.
J.A. Happ got the loss, but pitched well, allowing three runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out four.
What went wrong?
I'm not going to type this all out, but aside from Rollins and Bako, the offense went a combined 1-26 with nine strikeouts.
The Phillies left eight men on base.
Game Analysis:
J.A. Happ got the loss last night, but it wasn't his fault. The fault for that game lies with the offense and the fact that the Phillies have had problems for a while getting men in from scoring position. Last night, it was more of the same. The Phils loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning and only managed one run. That was a chance to break the game open early and coast, but the Phillies couldn't get it done.
I'm not torn up about the game last night, since it was just another game in August. These things happen to teams, even ones with potent offenses like Philadelphia. However, if it continues to be an issue and costs the Phillies even more games, then it could be a big problem. They had the same issues last year and won the World Series, so I'm not going to worry...yet. At least Happ looked good again last night, even in the loss. The boy can flat out pitch, and aside from that one bad pitch in the eighth inning, he was lights out.
Tonight, the Phils return home for a huge series against the Atlanta Braves. Pedro Martinez (2-0, 5.14 ERA), gets his first big game moment as a Phillie. He'll be taking on Tommy Hanson (9-2, 3.14 ERA). The Phillies need to get this series started the right way, so they can bury the Braves this weekend.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Phillies Recap: Phillies-4, Pirates-1
Game Recap:
Ryan Madson blew his fifth save of the season, but Ryan Howard's three run home run in the tenth inning pushed the Phillies past Pittsburgh.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 1-5 with a run scored.
Chase Utley went 2-5 with a solo home run and a run scored.
Ryan Howard went 2-5 with a game winning three run home run in the tenth inning.
Jayson Werth was 3-4.
Cole Hamels pitched eight innings of shutout baseball, giving up seven hits. He walked two and struck out seven.
What went wrong?
Ben Francisco was 0-4.
Carlos Ruiz went 0-2.
Ryan Madson blew his fifth save of the season, allowing a home run in the ninth inning. He stay in to finish up the tenth inning, though.
Game Analysis:
For the second straight night, the Phillies had issues with their closer in Pittsburgh. This time, it was Ryan Madson who couldn't get the job done in the ninth, but at least he was able to finish things off once the Phils took the lead back in the tenth inning. I'm not happy about it, but a win is a win. The Phillies still need to get that closer position worked on, since Brad Lidge isn't cutting it, and I don't think Madson has the mentality to be a closer.
As for the rest of the game, it was great seeing Cole Hamels pitch like I know he can. With just a one run advantage, Cole kept the Pirates off the board all night. His changeup looked good, and even when he got into some trouble, he was able to get out of it. I'm not a big fan of the seven hits he gave up, but when he's not allowing any runs, I think I can let it slide. He's got to keep that up now, the Phillies can't afford to have him start to slide again, not right now.
Of course, what else has to be said about Ryan Howard? The big man did it again last night, coming through in the clutch with a huge three run bomb in the tenth inning. He has 35 home runs and 107 RBI now on the season, and is on pace for another forty home run, 140 RBI season, which would make it three out of the last four years that he's reached that milestone. Jayson Werth picked up right where he left off, and the middle of the Phillies lineup just looks great right now. Chase is starting to hit the ball well, Howard is supernova hot, Werth is right there and hopefully Ibanez is getting back on the right track. It's what the Phillies need as they head down the stretch run.
Tonight, J.A. Happ (10-2, 2.59 ERA) looks for his 11th win of the season as he faces Charlie Morton (3-6, 5.21 ERA). Go Phils!
Ryan Madson blew his fifth save of the season, but Ryan Howard's three run home run in the tenth inning pushed the Phillies past Pittsburgh.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 1-5 with a run scored.
Chase Utley went 2-5 with a solo home run and a run scored.
Ryan Howard went 2-5 with a game winning three run home run in the tenth inning.
Jayson Werth was 3-4.
Cole Hamels pitched eight innings of shutout baseball, giving up seven hits. He walked two and struck out seven.
What went wrong?
Ben Francisco was 0-4.
Carlos Ruiz went 0-2.
Ryan Madson blew his fifth save of the season, allowing a home run in the ninth inning. He stay in to finish up the tenth inning, though.
Game Analysis:
For the second straight night, the Phillies had issues with their closer in Pittsburgh. This time, it was Ryan Madson who couldn't get the job done in the ninth, but at least he was able to finish things off once the Phils took the lead back in the tenth inning. I'm not happy about it, but a win is a win. The Phillies still need to get that closer position worked on, since Brad Lidge isn't cutting it, and I don't think Madson has the mentality to be a closer.
As for the rest of the game, it was great seeing Cole Hamels pitch like I know he can. With just a one run advantage, Cole kept the Pirates off the board all night. His changeup looked good, and even when he got into some trouble, he was able to get out of it. I'm not a big fan of the seven hits he gave up, but when he's not allowing any runs, I think I can let it slide. He's got to keep that up now, the Phillies can't afford to have him start to slide again, not right now.
Of course, what else has to be said about Ryan Howard? The big man did it again last night, coming through in the clutch with a huge three run bomb in the tenth inning. He has 35 home runs and 107 RBI now on the season, and is on pace for another forty home run, 140 RBI season, which would make it three out of the last four years that he's reached that milestone. Jayson Werth picked up right where he left off, and the middle of the Phillies lineup just looks great right now. Chase is starting to hit the ball well, Howard is supernova hot, Werth is right there and hopefully Ibanez is getting back on the right track. It's what the Phillies need as they head down the stretch run.
Tonight, J.A. Happ (10-2, 2.59 ERA) looks for his 11th win of the season as he faces Charlie Morton (3-6, 5.21 ERA). Go Phils!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Phillies Recap: Pirates-6, Phillies-4
Game Recap:
Brad Lidge's ninth blown save of the season cost the Phillies a chance at their fourth straight win after they came back in the ninth inning against Pittsburgh.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 2-5 with two home runs.
Shane Victorino was 1-5 with a triple and an RBI.
Chase Utley went 2-4.
Ben Francisco had a game tying, pinch hit double that tied the game in the ninth inning.
Joe Blanton pitched six innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out seven.
What went wrong?
Raul Ibanez was 0-3.
Matt Stairs went 0-2.
Pedro Feliz was 0-4.
Brad Lidge blew his ninth save of the season, allowing three runs on three hits without recording an out. Did I mention he managed to do this only in six pitches?
Game Analysis:
On the surface, this was just a simple loss to a bad team in late August. What is important and troubling here is the way that the Phillies lost last night. Last season, Brad Lidge was 41-41 on the season when it came to saves. We all knew that wouldn't continue this year, but I don't think anyone thought it would end like this. Last night, Lidge blew his ninth save of the season, and he needed only six. pitches to do it. A single, wild pitch, single and home run later and the game was over. That was it. Three batters, three hits, three runs. Nothing looked right for Lidge last night, and it hasn't looked right for most of the season.
Remember, if it weren't for an unassisted triple play on Sunday, Lidge probably would be on blown save number ten right now and fans would be chomping at the bit even more to get him out of the closer's spot. Of course, Charlie Manuel has already come out and said that Lidge is going to be his closer, so I don't know what he's going to have to do to lose that job. Nine blown saves is a serious problem, and at this point, it's past the time to "work it out." The man has an ERA over 7.00 for the season. He is the weakness on the Phillies right now, and could be the reason why the Phils don't repeat as World Champions. They have everything else set; the starting pitching is stable, the offense is great and the fielding is right at the top of the National League. What they don't have is that end of the bullpen guy that you know is going to go out there, get three outs, and save the game. The other players are starting to lose confidence in Lidge, and if he blows another save, I think the city is going to completely turn on him.
These fans remember Mitch Williams. They don't want to go back there again, and I'm afraid that Charlie's going to lead us down that path once more. Hopefully, something changes, but I don't think it will.
Brett Myers, you're the only hope for the back of the bullpen.
Tonight, Cole Hamels (7-8, 4.78 ERA) will hopefully not make me throw anything else at my television. He'll be facing off against Paul Maholm (7-7, 4.74 ERA).
Brad Lidge's ninth blown save of the season cost the Phillies a chance at their fourth straight win after they came back in the ninth inning against Pittsburgh.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 2-5 with two home runs.
Shane Victorino was 1-5 with a triple and an RBI.
Chase Utley went 2-4.
Ben Francisco had a game tying, pinch hit double that tied the game in the ninth inning.
Joe Blanton pitched six innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out seven.
What went wrong?
Raul Ibanez was 0-3.
Matt Stairs went 0-2.
Pedro Feliz was 0-4.
Brad Lidge blew his ninth save of the season, allowing three runs on three hits without recording an out. Did I mention he managed to do this only in six pitches?
Game Analysis:
On the surface, this was just a simple loss to a bad team in late August. What is important and troubling here is the way that the Phillies lost last night. Last season, Brad Lidge was 41-41 on the season when it came to saves. We all knew that wouldn't continue this year, but I don't think anyone thought it would end like this. Last night, Lidge blew his ninth save of the season, and he needed only six. pitches to do it. A single, wild pitch, single and home run later and the game was over. That was it. Three batters, three hits, three runs. Nothing looked right for Lidge last night, and it hasn't looked right for most of the season.
Remember, if it weren't for an unassisted triple play on Sunday, Lidge probably would be on blown save number ten right now and fans would be chomping at the bit even more to get him out of the closer's spot. Of course, Charlie Manuel has already come out and said that Lidge is going to be his closer, so I don't know what he's going to have to do to lose that job. Nine blown saves is a serious problem, and at this point, it's past the time to "work it out." The man has an ERA over 7.00 for the season. He is the weakness on the Phillies right now, and could be the reason why the Phils don't repeat as World Champions. They have everything else set; the starting pitching is stable, the offense is great and the fielding is right at the top of the National League. What they don't have is that end of the bullpen guy that you know is going to go out there, get three outs, and save the game. The other players are starting to lose confidence in Lidge, and if he blows another save, I think the city is going to completely turn on him.
These fans remember Mitch Williams. They don't want to go back there again, and I'm afraid that Charlie's going to lead us down that path once more. Hopefully, something changes, but I don't think it will.
Brett Myers, you're the only hope for the back of the bullpen.
Tonight, Cole Hamels (7-8, 4.78 ERA) will hopefully not make me throw anything else at my television. He'll be facing off against Paul Maholm (7-7, 4.74 ERA).
Monday, August 24, 2009
Phillies Recap: Phillies-6, Mets-2
Game Recap:
Ryan Howard hit two home runs and Cliff Lee pitched seven strong innings to lead the Phillies to their third straight win over the New York Mets.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 1-3 with a run scored.
Chase Utley was 1-4 and scored twice.
Ryan Howard went 2-5 with two home runs and five RBI, making him the first Phillie since Chuck Klein to have four straight 30 home run, 100 RBI seasons.
Raul Ibanez was 2-5 with an RBI.
Cliff Lee pitched seven innings, allowing two runs (none earned) on six hits. He struck out five and didn't walk a batter.
Chan Ho Park and Brad Lidge worked clean innings to finish off the win.
What went wrong?
Pedro Feliz was 0-4.
Paul Bako was 0-4.
Game Analysis:
When Ryan Howard is hitting and Cliff Lee is on the mound, you expect to win every time out. That's exactly what happened today, as the Phillies took their third straight against the Mets and moved to seven games up on Atlanta in the National League East.
It's been said time and time again how good Cliff Lee has been for the Phillies, but the man isn't human right now. In 40 innings with the Phillies, Lee has allowed just three earned runs. His ERA is 0.68 and he hasn't walked a batter in over two full games. His ERA for the season is now lower than Roy Halladay's, and the fact that the Phils didn't have to give up J.A. Happ for him looks better and better each time Happ goes out and pitches. Simply put, this pitcher might have been exactly what the Phillies needed to push them over the edge this year. Would you like to face a postseason pitching rotation of Cliff Lee, J.A. Happ, Joe Blanton and Cole Hamels? I don't think so. When Cole Hamels is the weakest out of those four pitchers, you know something is going right.
What else can be said about Ryan Howard right now? The big man just keeps getting better and better as the calender moves closer to September. If you go back to August 13th, Howard has eight home runs and 22 RBI since then. The man is on fire, and the way he plays later in the season means that it's only going to get better. Plus, Raul Ibanez looked better today, and hopefully he can break out of his funk and get swinging again. If Ibanez can start matching what Utley, Werth and Howard are doing, there isn't a team in the National League that can match what the Phillies have in the middle of their lineup.
It was a good series against the Mets, and it was expected, too. The Phillies came in and beat a team that they should beat. They're going to have to do this the rest of the season, because it's not going to get any easier after these next three games.
Tomorrow, Joe Blanton (8-6, 3.86 ERA) takes on Pittsburgh's Ross Ohlendorf (11-8, 4.15 ERA). The Pirates have been hot of late, so let's see if the Phillies can cool them down and put even more distance between them and the rest of the National League East.
Ryan Howard hit two home runs and Cliff Lee pitched seven strong innings to lead the Phillies to their third straight win over the New York Mets.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 1-3 with a run scored.
Chase Utley was 1-4 and scored twice.
Ryan Howard went 2-5 with two home runs and five RBI, making him the first Phillie since Chuck Klein to have four straight 30 home run, 100 RBI seasons.
Raul Ibanez was 2-5 with an RBI.
Cliff Lee pitched seven innings, allowing two runs (none earned) on six hits. He struck out five and didn't walk a batter.
Chan Ho Park and Brad Lidge worked clean innings to finish off the win.
What went wrong?
Pedro Feliz was 0-4.
Paul Bako was 0-4.
Game Analysis:
When Ryan Howard is hitting and Cliff Lee is on the mound, you expect to win every time out. That's exactly what happened today, as the Phillies took their third straight against the Mets and moved to seven games up on Atlanta in the National League East.
It's been said time and time again how good Cliff Lee has been for the Phillies, but the man isn't human right now. In 40 innings with the Phillies, Lee has allowed just three earned runs. His ERA is 0.68 and he hasn't walked a batter in over two full games. His ERA for the season is now lower than Roy Halladay's, and the fact that the Phils didn't have to give up J.A. Happ for him looks better and better each time Happ goes out and pitches. Simply put, this pitcher might have been exactly what the Phillies needed to push them over the edge this year. Would you like to face a postseason pitching rotation of Cliff Lee, J.A. Happ, Joe Blanton and Cole Hamels? I don't think so. When Cole Hamels is the weakest out of those four pitchers, you know something is going right.
What else can be said about Ryan Howard right now? The big man just keeps getting better and better as the calender moves closer to September. If you go back to August 13th, Howard has eight home runs and 22 RBI since then. The man is on fire, and the way he plays later in the season means that it's only going to get better. Plus, Raul Ibanez looked better today, and hopefully he can break out of his funk and get swinging again. If Ibanez can start matching what Utley, Werth and Howard are doing, there isn't a team in the National League that can match what the Phillies have in the middle of their lineup.
It was a good series against the Mets, and it was expected, too. The Phillies came in and beat a team that they should beat. They're going to have to do this the rest of the season, because it's not going to get any easier after these next three games.
Tomorrow, Joe Blanton (8-6, 3.86 ERA) takes on Pittsburgh's Ross Ohlendorf (11-8, 4.15 ERA). The Pirates have been hot of late, so let's see if the Phillies can cool them down and put even more distance between them and the rest of the National League East.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Phillies Recap: Phillies-9, Mets-7
Game Recap:
In the wildest game of the season, Eric Bruntlett's unassisted triple play saved the game for the Phillies, who moved to 21 games over .500 with the win.
What went right?
Jayson Werth went 2-5 with a three run home run.
Carlos Ruiz was 1-4 with a three run home run.
Eric Bruntlett went 3-5, scored a run and recorded the second ever unassisted triple play to end a baseball game.
Pedro Martinez pitched six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. He walked one, struck out five and drove in his first run of the season.
Jimmy Rollins was 1-4 with an RBI.
Matt Stairs managed to not record an at-bat, but still walked and scored a run.
What went wrong?
Ryan Howard was 0-5.
Each relief pitcher that came into the game allowed a run to score.
Game Analysis:
In my wildest dreams, I didn't think I could ever see a game like this. It wasn't pretty in the least, but the Phillies managed to pick up the win in the craziest ending to a game I have ever seen. When a team knocks an opposing team's pitcher out after less than an inning, you don't expect it to be a close game, but that's exactly what today turned into. The Phillies drove Oliver Perez into the showers after just two thirds of an inning, but those six runs they scored weren't enough. Fortunately, Eric Bruntlett happened to be in the right place at the right time, with the runners going in the ninth inning, and the Phillies picked up the win.
The nine runs are exactly what I'm used to seeing at least once a week when it comes to the Phillies. The offense can struggle from time to time, but when it comes to an explosion, you know it's going to happen. Today just happened to be that time. Bad Oliver Perez showed up, and the Phillies jumped all over him, making him throw almost 50 pitches in the first inning. Jayson Werth continued his hot streak, and Carlos Ruiz finally got his first hit against the Mets this season. Of course, Pedro Martinez wasn't that great either. He couldn't find his out pitch all day, and the Mets hit him early. Fortunately, he settled down and shut the Mets down in the last three innings that he pitched.
It was a good thing he did, because the bullpen was shaky today. Chad Durbin, Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge all gave up runs, and before Bruntlett's miracle, I had a feeling the game was going to go the other way. Lidge looked ok, and his pitches were where they needed to be, but bad fielding by Bruntlett and Ryan Howard allowed the Mets to not only stay in the game, but be in a position to win it. At least that didn't happen, because I didn't want to have to post on here if the Phillies had managed to lose this game.
This may have been the ugliest game I have ever seen, but I'll take it. The Phillies are 15.5 games up on the Mets, and 6.5 up on the Braves, with a series against them coming up next week. This is probably the best situation they could find themselves in right now with just a month and a half to go in the regular season. I've seen some odd things, but nothing like what I saw today. Is it a sign? Who the hell knows, but I'm going to enjoy it.
Tomorrow, Cliff Lee (11-9, 2.72 ERA) goes for the Phillies against Bobby Parnell (3-5, 4.74 ERA).
In the wildest game of the season, Eric Bruntlett's unassisted triple play saved the game for the Phillies, who moved to 21 games over .500 with the win.
What went right?
Jayson Werth went 2-5 with a three run home run.
Carlos Ruiz was 1-4 with a three run home run.
Eric Bruntlett went 3-5, scored a run and recorded the second ever unassisted triple play to end a baseball game.
Pedro Martinez pitched six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. He walked one, struck out five and drove in his first run of the season.
Jimmy Rollins was 1-4 with an RBI.
Matt Stairs managed to not record an at-bat, but still walked and scored a run.
What went wrong?
Ryan Howard was 0-5.
Each relief pitcher that came into the game allowed a run to score.
Game Analysis:
In my wildest dreams, I didn't think I could ever see a game like this. It wasn't pretty in the least, but the Phillies managed to pick up the win in the craziest ending to a game I have ever seen. When a team knocks an opposing team's pitcher out after less than an inning, you don't expect it to be a close game, but that's exactly what today turned into. The Phillies drove Oliver Perez into the showers after just two thirds of an inning, but those six runs they scored weren't enough. Fortunately, Eric Bruntlett happened to be in the right place at the right time, with the runners going in the ninth inning, and the Phillies picked up the win.
The nine runs are exactly what I'm used to seeing at least once a week when it comes to the Phillies. The offense can struggle from time to time, but when it comes to an explosion, you know it's going to happen. Today just happened to be that time. Bad Oliver Perez showed up, and the Phillies jumped all over him, making him throw almost 50 pitches in the first inning. Jayson Werth continued his hot streak, and Carlos Ruiz finally got his first hit against the Mets this season. Of course, Pedro Martinez wasn't that great either. He couldn't find his out pitch all day, and the Mets hit him early. Fortunately, he settled down and shut the Mets down in the last three innings that he pitched.
It was a good thing he did, because the bullpen was shaky today. Chad Durbin, Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge all gave up runs, and before Bruntlett's miracle, I had a feeling the game was going to go the other way. Lidge looked ok, and his pitches were where they needed to be, but bad fielding by Bruntlett and Ryan Howard allowed the Mets to not only stay in the game, but be in a position to win it. At least that didn't happen, because I didn't want to have to post on here if the Phillies had managed to lose this game.
This may have been the ugliest game I have ever seen, but I'll take it. The Phillies are 15.5 games up on the Mets, and 6.5 up on the Braves, with a series against them coming up next week. This is probably the best situation they could find themselves in right now with just a month and a half to go in the regular season. I've seen some odd things, but nothing like what I saw today. Is it a sign? Who the hell knows, but I'm going to enjoy it.
Tomorrow, Cliff Lee (11-9, 2.72 ERA) goes for the Phillies against Bobby Parnell (3-5, 4.74 ERA).
This might be the craziest ending I have ever seen
For only the third time in baseball history, an unassisted triple play ended a game. Who was the third person to do this? Eric Bruntlett. After forgetting how to field a baseball, Bruntlett managed to make history. Enjoy:
Thanks to The Fightins for the video.
Thanks to The Fightins for the video.
Phillie of the Week: August 16-22
With a 5-1 week, there were a lot of choices for Phillie of the Week honors this time around. There was great pitching, clutch hitting and good fielding, but I was able to narrow it down and decide on a single player. This week's Phillie of the Week is:
Ryan Howard
The big man is getting into September form a little early this year. He finished this week hitting .360 with four home runs and 12 RBI. If he keeps this up for the rest of the year, the National League is going to be put on notice.
Ryan Howard
The big man is getting into September form a little early this year. He finished this week hitting .360 with four home runs and 12 RBI. If he keeps this up for the rest of the year, the National League is going to be put on notice.
Phillies Recap: Phillies-4, Mets-1
Game Recap:
J.A. Happ held the Mets to one run over seven innings as the Phillies ground out a win against New York.
What went right?
Chase Utley was 2-4 with a two run home run.
Pedro Feliz was 1-3 with an RBI.
Raul Ibanez went 1-4 and scored a run.
Ryan Howard was 1-4 with a run scored.
Jayson Werth went 2-5.
J.A. Happ picked up his tenth win of the season, allowing one run on eight hits in even innings. He walked two and struck out one.
Brad Lidge worked a perfect ninth inning, striking out two to get the save.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-5.
Game Analysis:
Leave it to J.A. Happ to keep the Phillies off of a losing streak. Each of the last three times he's started, Happ has stopped the Phils from losing two in a row and he looks every bit like the 2009 National League Rookie of the Year each time. Last night wasn't his best showing, but considering he was only one missed play away from pitching seven shutout innings, it certainly wasn't a bad thing. I was happy with the way Happ had been pitching, but if he can keep this up, he's going to be irreplaceable down the stretch.
Chase Utley continued his ownership of the Mets this season, hitting a two run home run in the sixth inning to put the Phillies on top for good. Just like always, the Phils couldn't hit Tim Redding, but once he got out of there, it was back to normal against New York. It was good to see Raul Ibanez start hitting the ball hard again, and even though he just got one hit, it looks like he might just be starting to come out of that slump of his.
Aside from that, Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson looked every bit like their 2008 versions last night. Both worked clean innings and struck out two, and for Lidge, he's going to have to keep working on pitching just like that for the rest of the season. There are 42 games left to play in the regular season, so hopefully that's enough time for Lidge to get the kinks out before the playoffs start. If it is, I don't know how far this team is going to go, but it might be very far.
Later today, Pedro Martinez (1-0, 4.50 ERA) makes his return to New York. He'll be facing Oliver Perez (3-3, 6.06 ERA). Seeing Pedro win against the Mets would put a smile on my face.
J.A. Happ held the Mets to one run over seven innings as the Phillies ground out a win against New York.
What went right?
Chase Utley was 2-4 with a two run home run.
Pedro Feliz was 1-3 with an RBI.
Raul Ibanez went 1-4 and scored a run.
Ryan Howard was 1-4 with a run scored.
Jayson Werth went 2-5.
J.A. Happ picked up his tenth win of the season, allowing one run on eight hits in even innings. He walked two and struck out one.
Brad Lidge worked a perfect ninth inning, striking out two to get the save.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-5.
Game Analysis:
Leave it to J.A. Happ to keep the Phillies off of a losing streak. Each of the last three times he's started, Happ has stopped the Phils from losing two in a row and he looks every bit like the 2009 National League Rookie of the Year each time. Last night wasn't his best showing, but considering he was only one missed play away from pitching seven shutout innings, it certainly wasn't a bad thing. I was happy with the way Happ had been pitching, but if he can keep this up, he's going to be irreplaceable down the stretch.
Chase Utley continued his ownership of the Mets this season, hitting a two run home run in the sixth inning to put the Phillies on top for good. Just like always, the Phils couldn't hit Tim Redding, but once he got out of there, it was back to normal against New York. It was good to see Raul Ibanez start hitting the ball hard again, and even though he just got one hit, it looks like he might just be starting to come out of that slump of his.
Aside from that, Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson looked every bit like their 2008 versions last night. Both worked clean innings and struck out two, and for Lidge, he's going to have to keep working on pitching just like that for the rest of the season. There are 42 games left to play in the regular season, so hopefully that's enough time for Lidge to get the kinks out before the playoffs start. If it is, I don't know how far this team is going to go, but it might be very far.
Later today, Pedro Martinez (1-0, 4.50 ERA) makes his return to New York. He'll be facing Oliver Perez (3-3, 6.06 ERA). Seeing Pedro win against the Mets would put a smile on my face.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Phillies Recap: Mets-4, Phillies-2
Game Recap:
The Phillies couldn't get their offense going, and Cole Hamels looked less than stellar as they dropped the first game of a four game series against New York.
What went right?
Chase Utley was 2-4 and scored a run.
Ryan Howard went 2-4 with an RBI and scored a run.
Pedro Feliz replaced Greg Dobbs and went 1-2 with an RBI.
What went wrong?
Cole Hamels lasted only five innings, allowing four runs on ten hits. He struck out six and walked none.
Jayson Werth was 0-3.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-3.
Raul Ibanez went 1-4 with a strikeout, dropping his average to .288.
Game Analysis:
It's a little bit tough to put this game into words, which is why I'm posting this today. If the Mets were as good as they were supposed to be, this loss would really hurt. Instead, I'm only concerned about one thing right now that I saw in this game.
Cole Hamels still doesn't have the same stuff that he had last year, and it really showed last night. He was having trouble getting batters out, and when he hit Mike Pelfrey in the second inning after going 0-2 in the count, it opened up a two run inning when it could have been nothing. His location has been off all season, and he's doubting his out pitches. Last year, Cole pitched like he had something to prove. This year, he's pitching like a back of the rotation pitcher, which is never a good thing, particularly when that pitcher won the World Series MVP last season. Fortunately, the Phillies have Cliff Lee, J.A. Happ and Joe Blanton pitching lights out right now, because Cole just isn't cutting it.
Those three give the Phillies a solid starting playoff rotation, but the difference between just getting back to the World Series and winning back to back titles may rest on the left arm of Cole Hamels. He needs to get that edge back, and soon.
Tonight, J.A. Happ (9-2, 2.66 ERA) faces off against Tim Redding (1-4, 6.53 ERA). Happ's been good at stopping losing streaks from happening, so let's see what he can do tonight.
The Phillies couldn't get their offense going, and Cole Hamels looked less than stellar as they dropped the first game of a four game series against New York.
What went right?
Chase Utley was 2-4 and scored a run.
Ryan Howard went 2-4 with an RBI and scored a run.
Pedro Feliz replaced Greg Dobbs and went 1-2 with an RBI.
What went wrong?
Cole Hamels lasted only five innings, allowing four runs on ten hits. He struck out six and walked none.
Jayson Werth was 0-3.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-3.
Raul Ibanez went 1-4 with a strikeout, dropping his average to .288.
Game Analysis:
It's a little bit tough to put this game into words, which is why I'm posting this today. If the Mets were as good as they were supposed to be, this loss would really hurt. Instead, I'm only concerned about one thing right now that I saw in this game.
Cole Hamels still doesn't have the same stuff that he had last year, and it really showed last night. He was having trouble getting batters out, and when he hit Mike Pelfrey in the second inning after going 0-2 in the count, it opened up a two run inning when it could have been nothing. His location has been off all season, and he's doubting his out pitches. Last year, Cole pitched like he had something to prove. This year, he's pitching like a back of the rotation pitcher, which is never a good thing, particularly when that pitcher won the World Series MVP last season. Fortunately, the Phillies have Cliff Lee, J.A. Happ and Joe Blanton pitching lights out right now, because Cole just isn't cutting it.
Those three give the Phillies a solid starting playoff rotation, but the difference between just getting back to the World Series and winning back to back titles may rest on the left arm of Cole Hamels. He needs to get that edge back, and soon.
Tonight, J.A. Happ (9-2, 2.66 ERA) faces off against Tim Redding (1-4, 6.53 ERA). Happ's been good at stopping losing streaks from happening, so let's see what he can do tonight.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Phillies Recap: Phillies-12, Diamondbacks-3
Game Recap:
The Phillies pounded out 12 hits, including three home runs, to back Joe Blanton's eight innings and complete their first sweep of Arizona since 1998.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 2-4 with a run scored.
Shane Victorino went 1-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
Chase Utley went 1-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Ryan Howard was 2-4 with a three run home run, three runs scored and four RBI.
Jayson Werth was 2-4 with a home run, two RBI and scored twice.
Ben Francisco went 1-5 with two RBI.
Carlos Ruiz was 1-2 with two runs scored and a home run.
Joe Blanton pitched eight innings and allowed three runs on ten hits. He didn't walk a batter, struck out four and went 2-4 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored.
What went wrong?
Pedro Feliz was 0-5.
Game Analysis:
There isn't much to say right now. The Phillies are one of, if not the, hottest team in baseball, and their easy sweep of Arizona certainly showed that. Ryan Howard has gotten his power swing back, and Jayson Werth is as good as anyone else on the team right now. For anyone doubting Werth's All Star credentials, he's showing them to you right now. Jimmy Rollins continues to get better, as his average is creeping towards the .250 mark. Shane Victorino is still doing his thing, and as long as those two keep getting on base, the Phillies are going to be in every game.
The pitching was great during this series, too. The Phillies only allowed five runs and didn't walk a single batter. With Cliff Lee looking every bit like the 2008 American League Cy Young winner, and J.A. Happ and Joe Blanton putting up good numbers, this team is walking tall right now. I'm still waiting for Raul Ibanez and Cole Hamels to snap out of their little streaks, but I'm sure it can happen soon.
Tonight, the Phillies head to New York to take on the Mets for four games. While this series doesn't have the same weight that most thought it would, it's a great chance for the Phils to completely bury the Mets and end their season. I mean, they've already got enough problems...the Phillies might as well just finish the job, right? Cole Hamels (7-7, 4.69 ERA) will take on Mike Pelfrey (8-8, 4.75 ERA).
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Phillies Recap: Phillies-8, Diamondbacks-1
Game Recap:
Cliff Lee pitched a complete game, and the Phillies hit four home runs to back his effort as they won their third straight game.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 2-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Chase Utley went 2-4 with a two run home run.
Ryan Howard went 1-4 with a three run home run.
Jayson Werth went 3-4 with two home runs.
Jimmy Rollins was 1-5 with a run scored.
Cliff Lee pitched his second complete game with the Phillies, allowing one run on two hits. He walked none and struck out 11. He also went 2-4 at the plate and scored a run.
What went wrong?
Pedro Feliz went 0-4.
Yep, that's it.
Game Analysis:
For the second time in a month, the Phillies stared down Dan Haren and took him behind the woodshed. While the Diamondbacks are not a good team, Haren is a great pitcher, and to be able to beat him twice in a month's time is certainly nothing to sneeze at. Of course, the story here again is the master that is Cliff Lee. For the second time as a Phillie, Lee pitched a complete game, allowing only one run and two hits. He had a no hitter going until the sixth inning and didn't walk a single batter. With the Phillies, Lee has allowed just three earned runs in four starts, while striking out 34 and walking six. Those numbers, ladies and gentlemen, are ace numbers. While Roy Halladay hasn't been the same since he came off the DL, Lee has been everything he was last year, and even more for the Phillies.
Meanwhile, the offense looked better again tonight. Sure, the Phillies scored most of their runs via the home run, but it's what this team does. They lead the league in home runs, so you have to expect a lot of runs to score that way. Chase Utley is heating up again, Ryan Howard is so hot right now, you need oven mitts to touch him and Jayson Werth is getting close to Ryan Howard levels of hotness. All in all, the middle of this lineup is really starting to put it all together at just the right time. Things are looking very, very good right now for this team as they inch closer and closer to a third straight NL East crown. I'm not counting my chickens too soon, though. The only thing worse than not making the playoffs right now would be hearing about it from Mets fans.
Tomorrow, Joe Blanton (7-6, 3.88 ERA) looks to finish off the sweep of Arizona. He'll be facing Doug Davis (7-10, 3.59 ERA).
Cliff Lee pitched a complete game, and the Phillies hit four home runs to back his effort as they won their third straight game.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 2-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Chase Utley went 2-4 with a two run home run.
Ryan Howard went 1-4 with a three run home run.
Jayson Werth went 3-4 with two home runs.
Jimmy Rollins was 1-5 with a run scored.
Cliff Lee pitched his second complete game with the Phillies, allowing one run on two hits. He walked none and struck out 11. He also went 2-4 at the plate and scored a run.
What went wrong?
Pedro Feliz went 0-4.
Yep, that's it.
Game Analysis:
For the second time in a month, the Phillies stared down Dan Haren and took him behind the woodshed. While the Diamondbacks are not a good team, Haren is a great pitcher, and to be able to beat him twice in a month's time is certainly nothing to sneeze at. Of course, the story here again is the master that is Cliff Lee. For the second time as a Phillie, Lee pitched a complete game, allowing only one run and two hits. He had a no hitter going until the sixth inning and didn't walk a single batter. With the Phillies, Lee has allowed just three earned runs in four starts, while striking out 34 and walking six. Those numbers, ladies and gentlemen, are ace numbers. While Roy Halladay hasn't been the same since he came off the DL, Lee has been everything he was last year, and even more for the Phillies.
Meanwhile, the offense looked better again tonight. Sure, the Phillies scored most of their runs via the home run, but it's what this team does. They lead the league in home runs, so you have to expect a lot of runs to score that way. Chase Utley is heating up again, Ryan Howard is so hot right now, you need oven mitts to touch him and Jayson Werth is getting close to Ryan Howard levels of hotness. All in all, the middle of this lineup is really starting to put it all together at just the right time. Things are looking very, very good right now for this team as they inch closer and closer to a third straight NL East crown. I'm not counting my chickens too soon, though. The only thing worse than not making the playoffs right now would be hearing about it from Mets fans.
Tomorrow, Joe Blanton (7-6, 3.88 ERA) looks to finish off the sweep of Arizona. He'll be facing Doug Davis (7-10, 3.59 ERA).
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Phillies Recap: Phillies-5, Diamondbacks-1
Game Recap:
After a 66 minute rain delay, Jamie Moyer relieved Pedro Martinez and pitched six shutout innings to pick up the win as the Phils took game one against Arizona.
What went right?
Jayson Werth was 2-4 with a solo home run, two RBI and two runs scored.
Carlos Ruiz went 3-3 with a home run and two RBI.
Pedro Feliz was 1-4 with an RBI.
Shane Victorino was 2-5.
Jimmy Rollins went 1-5.
Chase Utley went 1-2 with two walks and scored once.
Jamie Moyer pitched six shutout innings, allowing only two hits. He walked none, struck out five and went 2-3 at the plate.
What went wrong?
The Phillies left 11 men on base.
Game Analysis:
Sometimes, a rain delay and a ticked off pitcher can be the best thing for a team. Tonight, that was the case, as Mother Nature chased Pedro Martinez off the mound after just three innings. In came Jamie Moyer once the rain stopped, and ole Jamie looked better than he has all season. He six shutout innings are the most since July 27th against Arizona, and it's the first time he hasn't walked a batter since June 11th. I'd say he looked better tonight than he has all season, and if this is the way he's going to pitch out of the bullpen, then keep him there. Of course, his performance tonight also saved the bullpen from what could have been a long night. Anytime a pitcher comes out after just three innings, it isn't good, but Jamie did what he had to do and owned the Diamondbacks.
The offense didn't look great tonight, but they did enough to win. After wasting a bases loaded, no out chance in the first inning, the Phillies did push some runs across, thanks partially to the longball. Jayson Werth's double in the third and career high 25th homer in the fifth were enough for the Phillies, but it was nice to see Pedro Feliz and Carlos Ruiz drive in some runs tonight. It was especially nice to see Ruiz doing his job at the plate, since he has been lacking offensively all season long. It's times like this, late in the season, when good teams need their role players to step up, and that's what happened tonight.
Tomorrow, hopefully the rain will stay away, because Cliff Lee (10-9, 2.86 ERA) is going for his fourth straight win as a Phillie. He'll be facing Dan Haren (12-7, 2.50 ERA). This should be a good one.
After a 66 minute rain delay, Jamie Moyer relieved Pedro Martinez and pitched six shutout innings to pick up the win as the Phils took game one against Arizona.
What went right?
Jayson Werth was 2-4 with a solo home run, two RBI and two runs scored.
Carlos Ruiz went 3-3 with a home run and two RBI.
Pedro Feliz was 1-4 with an RBI.
Shane Victorino was 2-5.
Jimmy Rollins went 1-5.
Chase Utley went 1-2 with two walks and scored once.
Jamie Moyer pitched six shutout innings, allowing only two hits. He walked none, struck out five and went 2-3 at the plate.
What went wrong?
The Phillies left 11 men on base.
Game Analysis:
Sometimes, a rain delay and a ticked off pitcher can be the best thing for a team. Tonight, that was the case, as Mother Nature chased Pedro Martinez off the mound after just three innings. In came Jamie Moyer once the rain stopped, and ole Jamie looked better than he has all season. He six shutout innings are the most since July 27th against Arizona, and it's the first time he hasn't walked a batter since June 11th. I'd say he looked better tonight than he has all season, and if this is the way he's going to pitch out of the bullpen, then keep him there. Of course, his performance tonight also saved the bullpen from what could have been a long night. Anytime a pitcher comes out after just three innings, it isn't good, but Jamie did what he had to do and owned the Diamondbacks.
The offense didn't look great tonight, but they did enough to win. After wasting a bases loaded, no out chance in the first inning, the Phillies did push some runs across, thanks partially to the longball. Jayson Werth's double in the third and career high 25th homer in the fifth were enough for the Phillies, but it was nice to see Pedro Feliz and Carlos Ruiz drive in some runs tonight. It was especially nice to see Ruiz doing his job at the plate, since he has been lacking offensively all season long. It's times like this, late in the season, when good teams need their role players to step up, and that's what happened tonight.
Tomorrow, hopefully the rain will stay away, because Cliff Lee (10-9, 2.86 ERA) is going for his fourth straight win as a Phillie. He'll be facing Dan Haren (12-7, 2.50 ERA). This should be a good one.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Phillies Recap: Phillies-4, Braves-1
Game Recap:
Ryan Howard's two home runs did the damage for the Phils, who moved six games up on the Braves with the win.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 1-4 and scored a run.
Shane Victorino went 2-4 and scored a run.
Ryan Howard went 3-3, scored twice and had two home runs; a solo shot in the second inning, and a three run blast in the sixth.
J.A. Happ wasn't his best, but he still allowed just one run in 7.2 innings on three hits. He walked six and struck out three.
The bullpen combination of Ryan Madson, Scott Eyre and Brad Lidge held the Braves to a single hit and a walk in the remaining 1.1 innings.
What went wrong?
Aside from Howard, Rollins and Victorino, the Phillies managed just one hit and struck out seven times.
Game Analysis:
This was the most important game of the week for the Phillies. With a win, they would go to six games up on the Braves and push them just a little further into their National League East grave. A loss would have put the Braves at just four games back, and moved the Marlins even closer, giving both teams more life than the Phillies would want to deal with. What they got was not only a win, but hopefully a declaration on how the rest of the season is going to go.
Even though he didn't have his best command last night, J.A. Happ continued to show why he is one of, if not the, top candidate for Rookie of the Year. He held the Braves to just three hits and one run over almost eight innings of work and ran his record to 9-2 on the season. It's been great to see Happ pitch this year, especially since he's picked up the slack that Cole Hamels has left behind. Without Happ in this rotation, I don't even want to know where the Phillies would be right now.
The best part about last night was Ryan Howard going off again. His two home runs last night give him 30 on the season, and four in his last four games. Before this stretch, the big man had gone the entire month of August without a homer, and now it looks like he might be ready to embark on another late season run. With Shane and Jimmy continuing to get on base, the RBI chances will be there for the middle of the lineup. If Chase, Raul and Jayson can start to warm up again, there isn't a team in baseball that can match the heart of the order for the Phils.
All in all, it was a good series against the Braves. Aside from one disastrous ninth inning on Saturday, the Phillies dominated Atlanta in all three games. Sure, the games were low scoring and close, but you never felt like the Phillies were in any real danger of losing any of those games until the Braves had the bases loaded with no one out in the ninth inning on Saturday. If the Phillies can keep this up, it's only going to be a matter of when, not if, they claim their third straight NL East crown.
Tomorrow, the Phils return home to take on Arizona. Pedro Martinez (1-0, 5.40 ERA) makes his home debut against Jon Garland (6-10, 4.28 ERA).
Ryan Howard's two home runs did the damage for the Phils, who moved six games up on the Braves with the win.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 1-4 and scored a run.
Shane Victorino went 2-4 and scored a run.
Ryan Howard went 3-3, scored twice and had two home runs; a solo shot in the second inning, and a three run blast in the sixth.
J.A. Happ wasn't his best, but he still allowed just one run in 7.2 innings on three hits. He walked six and struck out three.
The bullpen combination of Ryan Madson, Scott Eyre and Brad Lidge held the Braves to a single hit and a walk in the remaining 1.1 innings.
What went wrong?
Aside from Howard, Rollins and Victorino, the Phillies managed just one hit and struck out seven times.
Game Analysis:
This was the most important game of the week for the Phillies. With a win, they would go to six games up on the Braves and push them just a little further into their National League East grave. A loss would have put the Braves at just four games back, and moved the Marlins even closer, giving both teams more life than the Phillies would want to deal with. What they got was not only a win, but hopefully a declaration on how the rest of the season is going to go.
Even though he didn't have his best command last night, J.A. Happ continued to show why he is one of, if not the, top candidate for Rookie of the Year. He held the Braves to just three hits and one run over almost eight innings of work and ran his record to 9-2 on the season. It's been great to see Happ pitch this year, especially since he's picked up the slack that Cole Hamels has left behind. Without Happ in this rotation, I don't even want to know where the Phillies would be right now.
The best part about last night was Ryan Howard going off again. His two home runs last night give him 30 on the season, and four in his last four games. Before this stretch, the big man had gone the entire month of August without a homer, and now it looks like he might be ready to embark on another late season run. With Shane and Jimmy continuing to get on base, the RBI chances will be there for the middle of the lineup. If Chase, Raul and Jayson can start to warm up again, there isn't a team in baseball that can match the heart of the order for the Phils.
All in all, it was a good series against the Braves. Aside from one disastrous ninth inning on Saturday, the Phillies dominated Atlanta in all three games. Sure, the games were low scoring and close, but you never felt like the Phillies were in any real danger of losing any of those games until the Braves had the bases loaded with no one out in the ninth inning on Saturday. If the Phillies can keep this up, it's only going to be a matter of when, not if, they claim their third straight NL East crown.
Tomorrow, the Phils return home to take on Arizona. Pedro Martinez (1-0, 5.40 ERA) makes his home debut against Jon Garland (6-10, 4.28 ERA).
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Phillie of the Week: August 9-15
It was a good week for the Phillies, as they took four out of six games against the Marlins, Cubs and Braves. With a few good candidates, it was difficult to pick out one great player. With that being said, this week's Phillie of the Week is:
Cliff Lee
Yes, for the second time in three weeks, the newest Phillie has been the best player on the team. This week, Lee pitched eight innings of one run baseball against the Chicago Cubs. He walked three and struck out eight, and added a double to just make it that much better. If he keeps this up, I'm going to have to change this to the Cliff Lee Award, but I won't complain.
Cliff Lee
Yes, for the second time in three weeks, the newest Phillie has been the best player on the team. This week, Lee pitched eight innings of one run baseball against the Chicago Cubs. He walked three and struck out eight, and added a double to just make it that much better. If he keeps this up, I'm going to have to change this to the Cliff Lee Award, but I won't complain.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Phillies Recap: Braves-4, Phillies-3
Game Recap:
Brad Lidge blew his eighth save of the season thanks to some questionable defense, and the Phillies dropped the second game of their series against the Braves.
What went right?
Shane Victorino went 1-3 with a triple and scored a run.
Jayson Werth was 1-3 with a solo home run in the seventh inning.
Raul Ibanez went 2-4 with two doubles and a run scored.
Pedro Feliz went 1-4 with a triple and an RBI.
Carlos Ruiz was 2-4.
Cole Hamels pitched six innings, allowing two runs on three hits. He walked four and struck out two.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-4.
Chase Utley went 0-4 and missed a ground ball that started the ninth inning failure.
Brad Lidge blew his eighth save of the season, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits. He walked two, struck out one and committed two errors on one play that pretty much cemented the game.
The Phillies had six extra base hits, but only scored four runs.
Game Analysis:
This was a game of missed chances that eventually came back to bite the Phils big time. After getting a decent effort from Cole Hamels, the Phillies had everything in place for Brad Lidge, who managed to have a pretty painless inning last night. Everything looked good, right?
Not so fast. First, Chase Utley couldn't get to a ball that Garrett Anderson hit. To be fair, it was a difficult play, but Utley normally makes that grab. After that, Matt Diaz had the best sacrifice bunt ever, thanks to two errors by Lidge on the same play. He bobbled the ball, then decided to throw it to first instead of just eating it and having two on with no outs. Ryan Howard missed the ball, Anderson scored, and Diaz ended up at third. I knew the game was over then. It wasn't even Lidge's pitching that did him in today...it was his defense.
Of course, the Phillies never should have been in that situation to begin with. The Phillies had men on third base with less than two outs three different times, and each time, they couldn't get the runner home. Missed chances like that will kill any team, especially when you have a very erratic closer waiting in the bullpen. The Phils can't let chances like that pass them by, and they certainly can't do it in a divisional game with a team they're trying to bury.
Cole Hamels looked ok. He still had some problems with his location, and actually walked more batters than he struck out, but he kept the Braves off the scoreboard with the exception of a Brian McCann home run and managed to get out of a few self manufactured jams. It's a good step, but I want to see more. He has to at least get partially back into 2008 form before I feel better with him.
Tomorrow night, J.A. Happ (8-2, 2.75 ERA) looks to get the series win for the Phils. He'll be opposed by Javier Vazquez (10-7, 2.90 ERA). It's on ESPN, so it should be a good one. Go Phils!
Brad Lidge blew his eighth save of the season thanks to some questionable defense, and the Phillies dropped the second game of their series against the Braves.
What went right?
Shane Victorino went 1-3 with a triple and scored a run.
Jayson Werth was 1-3 with a solo home run in the seventh inning.
Raul Ibanez went 2-4 with two doubles and a run scored.
Pedro Feliz went 1-4 with a triple and an RBI.
Carlos Ruiz was 2-4.
Cole Hamels pitched six innings, allowing two runs on three hits. He walked four and struck out two.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-4.
Chase Utley went 0-4 and missed a ground ball that started the ninth inning failure.
Brad Lidge blew his eighth save of the season, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits. He walked two, struck out one and committed two errors on one play that pretty much cemented the game.
The Phillies had six extra base hits, but only scored four runs.
Game Analysis:
This was a game of missed chances that eventually came back to bite the Phils big time. After getting a decent effort from Cole Hamels, the Phillies had everything in place for Brad Lidge, who managed to have a pretty painless inning last night. Everything looked good, right?
Not so fast. First, Chase Utley couldn't get to a ball that Garrett Anderson hit. To be fair, it was a difficult play, but Utley normally makes that grab. After that, Matt Diaz had the best sacrifice bunt ever, thanks to two errors by Lidge on the same play. He bobbled the ball, then decided to throw it to first instead of just eating it and having two on with no outs. Ryan Howard missed the ball, Anderson scored, and Diaz ended up at third. I knew the game was over then. It wasn't even Lidge's pitching that did him in today...it was his defense.
Of course, the Phillies never should have been in that situation to begin with. The Phillies had men on third base with less than two outs three different times, and each time, they couldn't get the runner home. Missed chances like that will kill any team, especially when you have a very erratic closer waiting in the bullpen. The Phils can't let chances like that pass them by, and they certainly can't do it in a divisional game with a team they're trying to bury.
Cole Hamels looked ok. He still had some problems with his location, and actually walked more batters than he struck out, but he kept the Braves off the scoreboard with the exception of a Brian McCann home run and managed to get out of a few self manufactured jams. It's a good step, but I want to see more. He has to at least get partially back into 2008 form before I feel better with him.
Tomorrow night, J.A. Happ (8-2, 2.75 ERA) looks to get the series win for the Phils. He'll be opposed by Javier Vazquez (10-7, 2.90 ERA). It's on ESPN, so it should be a good one. Go Phils!
Phillies Recap: Phillies-3, Braves-2
Game Recap:
Joe Blanton pitched seven strong innings, and Ryan Howard's solo home run in the top of the ninth inning pushed the Phillies past the Braves in the first game of their series.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 1-4 with a run scored.
Chase Utley was 1-4 with a two run home run in the fourth inning.
Ryan Howard went 1-3 with the game winning home run in the ninth.
Jayson Werth was 2-4.
Joe Blanton allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits in seven innings. He struck out two and walked one.
Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge worked relatively painless innings in the eigth and ninth to finish the Braves.
What went wrong?
Pedro Feliz was 0-4 at the plate and had an error in the fourth inning that allowed a run to score.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-3.
Raul Ibanez continued to slump and went 0-4.
Game Analysis:
Just like the last few times that Joe Blanton has started, the Phillies haven't given him much in terms of run support. This time though, the Phils were able to push across enough to get the win, even if it was for Ryan Madson. This is one of the biggest series of the season so far, so to be able to take the first game is a very important first step in putting the Braves back down away from the Phillies.
There weren't many runs scored tonight, but at least the ones that were came from the middle of the order. Both Chase Utley and Ryan Howard drilled home runs tonight, and it looks like Howard is starting to heat up after a cool beginning of August. Like I said yesterday, if the big man can heat up, then opposing teams are in for a world of hurt. It would be great if Chase can keep hitting and Raul could break out of his slump, but I'll take things one at a time for now.
I don't know what's gotten into Joe Blanton, but the man is pitching out of this world since the All Star Game. He's going into the deep innings, and even though he's not always picking up the win, he's been the most consistent pitcher the Phils have had since his horrible start to the season. He hasn't allowed five or more runs since May 21 and has only walked 19 batters since then. Nothings set in stone yet, but all of a sudden, a possible playoff rotation of Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, J.A. Happ and Joe Blanton looks pretty good, doesn't it?
Today, the Phillies look to keep their momentum going, as Cole Hamels (7-7, 4.77 ERA) takes on Kenshin Kawakami (5-9, 4.12 ERA). Taking the first two games in Atlanta would be crushing to the Braves and their five fans, so I hope the Phils can do it.
Joe Blanton pitched seven strong innings, and Ryan Howard's solo home run in the top of the ninth inning pushed the Phillies past the Braves in the first game of their series.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 1-4 with a run scored.
Chase Utley was 1-4 with a two run home run in the fourth inning.
Ryan Howard went 1-3 with the game winning home run in the ninth.
Jayson Werth was 2-4.
Joe Blanton allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits in seven innings. He struck out two and walked one.
Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge worked relatively painless innings in the eigth and ninth to finish the Braves.
What went wrong?
Pedro Feliz was 0-4 at the plate and had an error in the fourth inning that allowed a run to score.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-3.
Raul Ibanez continued to slump and went 0-4.
Game Analysis:
Just like the last few times that Joe Blanton has started, the Phillies haven't given him much in terms of run support. This time though, the Phils were able to push across enough to get the win, even if it was for Ryan Madson. This is one of the biggest series of the season so far, so to be able to take the first game is a very important first step in putting the Braves back down away from the Phillies.
There weren't many runs scored tonight, but at least the ones that were came from the middle of the order. Both Chase Utley and Ryan Howard drilled home runs tonight, and it looks like Howard is starting to heat up after a cool beginning of August. Like I said yesterday, if the big man can heat up, then opposing teams are in for a world of hurt. It would be great if Chase can keep hitting and Raul could break out of his slump, but I'll take things one at a time for now.
I don't know what's gotten into Joe Blanton, but the man is pitching out of this world since the All Star Game. He's going into the deep innings, and even though he's not always picking up the win, he's been the most consistent pitcher the Phils have had since his horrible start to the season. He hasn't allowed five or more runs since May 21 and has only walked 19 batters since then. Nothings set in stone yet, but all of a sudden, a possible playoff rotation of Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, J.A. Happ and Joe Blanton looks pretty good, doesn't it?
Today, the Phillies look to keep their momentum going, as Cole Hamels (7-7, 4.77 ERA) takes on Kenshin Kawakami (5-9, 4.12 ERA). Taking the first two games in Atlanta would be crushing to the Braves and their five fans, so I hope the Phils can do it.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Eagles Aftermath: 27-25 Patriots Win
What happened?
The Eagles didn't look too sharp in the first preseason game, dropping it to the returning Tom Brady and the Patriots.
The Good:
Donovan McNabb didn't look all that bad, completing 11 or 18 passes for 103 yards.
LeSean McCoy looked sharp, picking up 55 yards on ten carries.
Leonard Weaver looked even better, catching a pass for ten yards and running the ball twice for eight yards.
Young Eldra Buckley was the best player on the field for the Eagles, scoring twice and picking up 79 total yards.
16 different Eagles caught passes.
No one got hurt too badly.
The Bad:
The offense didn't look sharp until the second half, when the New England second team was in.
The same goes for the defense.
The first team still looked like they needed to get some of their timing down.
The Ugly:
The offensive line needed a lot of work, as Donovan was running around and couldn't get comfortable for most of the time he was in.
The first team defense got picked apart by Tom Brady and the Patriots.
The Eagles committed eight penalties for 98 yards.
The Breakdown:
For the first preseason game, it wasn't all that bad. Yes, there were your typical timing issues and penalties, but I think those can get worked out in time. That being said, I'm still quite nervous about the offensive line and what's going to happen there, because the five supposed starters have yet to play a snap together, and some of that showed tonight.
The Eagles are hoping that Jason Peters can be the next big thing at left tackle. What they saw tonight was a guy that didn't know the counts and looked uncomfortable out there. By the time he left because of injury (nothing serious), he had let Donovan get under a ton of pressure. It's not what I'm used to out of the tackle position, and the Eagles are going to have to work with him to get his timing and blocking where it needs to be for the start of the season. It's going to have to be, because if it's not, it will be a problem. That being said, I like what the running game offered tonight. LeSean McCoy looked sharp, and I really like Leonard Weaver. I had forgotten what a good fullback looked like, but I remember now. Brian Westbrook is going to love running behind this guy, and McNabb has another safety valve.
It wasn't the best start to the preseason, as the Eagles are 0-1. Of course, it's still the preseason, so I'm not as concerned as I would be normally. There are still some things to work out and get at, but those can be taken care of in time. I still think the Eagles have one of the best teams in the NFC and can hang with anyone in the conference, but only if they can get that offensive line going like it can. That has to come before anything else right now.
The Eagles didn't look too sharp in the first preseason game, dropping it to the returning Tom Brady and the Patriots.
The Good:
Donovan McNabb didn't look all that bad, completing 11 or 18 passes for 103 yards.
LeSean McCoy looked sharp, picking up 55 yards on ten carries.
Leonard Weaver looked even better, catching a pass for ten yards and running the ball twice for eight yards.
Young Eldra Buckley was the best player on the field for the Eagles, scoring twice and picking up 79 total yards.
16 different Eagles caught passes.
No one got hurt too badly.
The Bad:
The offense didn't look sharp until the second half, when the New England second team was in.
The same goes for the defense.
The first team still looked like they needed to get some of their timing down.
The Ugly:
The offensive line needed a lot of work, as Donovan was running around and couldn't get comfortable for most of the time he was in.
The first team defense got picked apart by Tom Brady and the Patriots.
The Eagles committed eight penalties for 98 yards.
The Breakdown:
For the first preseason game, it wasn't all that bad. Yes, there were your typical timing issues and penalties, but I think those can get worked out in time. That being said, I'm still quite nervous about the offensive line and what's going to happen there, because the five supposed starters have yet to play a snap together, and some of that showed tonight.
The Eagles are hoping that Jason Peters can be the next big thing at left tackle. What they saw tonight was a guy that didn't know the counts and looked uncomfortable out there. By the time he left because of injury (nothing serious), he had let Donovan get under a ton of pressure. It's not what I'm used to out of the tackle position, and the Eagles are going to have to work with him to get his timing and blocking where it needs to be for the start of the season. It's going to have to be, because if it's not, it will be a problem. That being said, I like what the running game offered tonight. LeSean McCoy looked sharp, and I really like Leonard Weaver. I had forgotten what a good fullback looked like, but I remember now. Brian Westbrook is going to love running behind this guy, and McNabb has another safety valve.
It wasn't the best start to the preseason, as the Eagles are 0-1. Of course, it's still the preseason, so I'm not as concerned as I would be normally. There are still some things to work out and get at, but those can be taken care of in time. I still think the Eagles have one of the best teams in the NFC and can hang with anyone in the conference, but only if they can get that offensive line going like it can. That has to come before anything else right now.
I can't believe I'm posting this...the Eagles sign Michael Vick
Now, there are a few moves that have happened in the past that have made me shake my head with the Eagles. Benching Donovan last season at the half against the Ravens, the entire T.O. fiasco, letting Brian Dawkins go. This takes the cake tonight. I'm sure you've heard about it by now, but, Michael Vick has agreed to a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. As it's being reported, the deal is for two years, at $1.6 million this year and a club option for $5.2 million next year.
First of all, one has to wonder about the public relations backlash that this is going to have for the Eagles. While they are one of the more active teams in any community, and Vick has started to repair his image, this is still going to be something very, very interesting when he shows up for his first game in two weeks. What will the response of animal lovers be? How will the Eagles deal with it? While this may be overblown, the fact of the matter is that this situation is there and is quite real. It's going to be up to the Eagles to handle whatever happens now. It's on their hands.
The other thing I'm concerned about is just Michael Vick in general. Now, I'm not going to lie, I've never liked Vick. I didn't like him when he was the "ultimate weapon" for the Falcons, I didn't like him when he was Ron Mexico, I certainly didn't like him through the dogfighting crap, and I still don't like him now. As far as I'm concerned, he's one of the most overrated quarterbacks in NFL history. He was a great athlete, but that was about it. He couldn't throw for more than 55% accuracy, and his attitude wasn't great, either. He always seemed like someone that I didn't want to have in the locker room, and now here he is.
That being said, there's no going back now, so I might as well look at how this will impact the Eagles. The first thought in my mind was that Kevin Kolb's injury has to be worse than what the Eagles are saying right now. This wouldn't have happened without Kolb getting hurt, and if they think he's going to miss a lot of time, then this is a necessary move. If Kolb isn't hurt that badly, then AJ Feeley might be looking for work, which is a shame, because I think Feeley is one of the best emergency quarterbacks in the NFL. Of course, then there's how Donovan is going to take this. I would have to think that the Eagles would put this past him first, because I don't think that springing this news on him would go over too well. Donovan's shown in the past he can have thin skin when it comes to things like this, so we're going to have to wait and see what happens.
Honestly, I'm not too thrilled with this. Like I said, I don't like Michael Vick the person, and I think Michael Vick the football player is horribly overrated, and that's the guy that wasn't sitting in jail for almost two years. At best, he can provide a little more to an already solid looking offense. At worst, he's going to be a pain in the ass distraction, especially when PETA decides to show up and make a scene at every Eagles game until he's gone. The Eagles clearly see him as a one year trial, since that second year is for a lot more money and is a club option. I can see him in the Wildcat formation and maybe as a second tight end or running back, but not as a quarterback. At this point, his best option is to be an athlete, which is how he'll catch on.
Of course, I'm not cheering for him regardless. Like I said, I never liked Vick, even before all of the dogfighting stuff came out. I hated him with the Falcons, and I'll hate him with the Eagles. You can put that on your record.
ESPN: Michael Vick signs two year deal with Eagles
First of all, one has to wonder about the public relations backlash that this is going to have for the Eagles. While they are one of the more active teams in any community, and Vick has started to repair his image, this is still going to be something very, very interesting when he shows up for his first game in two weeks. What will the response of animal lovers be? How will the Eagles deal with it? While this may be overblown, the fact of the matter is that this situation is there and is quite real. It's going to be up to the Eagles to handle whatever happens now. It's on their hands.
The other thing I'm concerned about is just Michael Vick in general. Now, I'm not going to lie, I've never liked Vick. I didn't like him when he was the "ultimate weapon" for the Falcons, I didn't like him when he was Ron Mexico, I certainly didn't like him through the dogfighting crap, and I still don't like him now. As far as I'm concerned, he's one of the most overrated quarterbacks in NFL history. He was a great athlete, but that was about it. He couldn't throw for more than 55% accuracy, and his attitude wasn't great, either. He always seemed like someone that I didn't want to have in the locker room, and now here he is.
That being said, there's no going back now, so I might as well look at how this will impact the Eagles. The first thought in my mind was that Kevin Kolb's injury has to be worse than what the Eagles are saying right now. This wouldn't have happened without Kolb getting hurt, and if they think he's going to miss a lot of time, then this is a necessary move. If Kolb isn't hurt that badly, then AJ Feeley might be looking for work, which is a shame, because I think Feeley is one of the best emergency quarterbacks in the NFL. Of course, then there's how Donovan is going to take this. I would have to think that the Eagles would put this past him first, because I don't think that springing this news on him would go over too well. Donovan's shown in the past he can have thin skin when it comes to things like this, so we're going to have to wait and see what happens.
Honestly, I'm not too thrilled with this. Like I said, I don't like Michael Vick the person, and I think Michael Vick the football player is horribly overrated, and that's the guy that wasn't sitting in jail for almost two years. At best, he can provide a little more to an already solid looking offense. At worst, he's going to be a pain in the ass distraction, especially when PETA decides to show up and make a scene at every Eagles game until he's gone. The Eagles clearly see him as a one year trial, since that second year is for a lot more money and is a club option. I can see him in the Wildcat formation and maybe as a second tight end or running back, but not as a quarterback. At this point, his best option is to be an athlete, which is how he'll catch on.
Of course, I'm not cheering for him regardless. Like I said, I never liked Vick, even before all of the dogfighting stuff came out. I hated him with the Falcons, and I'll hate him with the Eagles. You can put that on your record.
ESPN: Michael Vick signs two year deal with Eagles
Phillies Recap: Phillies-6, Cubs-1
Game Recap:
Ryan Howard broke his homerless drought, and Cliff Lee pitched another eight strong innings for the Phillies as they swept the Cubs in Chicago for the first time in 25 years.
What went right?
Shane Victorino didn't get hit with beer today, but he did go 2-5 with two runs scored.
Chase Utley went 1-3 with a run and an RBI.
Ryan Howard was 2-3 with a three run home run and two runs scored.
Pedro Feliz was 2-3 with a home run, two RBI and a run scored.
Cliff Lee pitched eight innings, allowing one run on six hits. He walked three, struck out eight and had a double at the plate as well.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-4.
Jayson Werth was 0-4.
Ben Francisco was 0-4.
Game Analysis:
This was the kind of series the Phillies needed after the way they played against the Marlins last weekend. After being swept at home, the Phils came out and had good pitching and good hitting and got the sweep of the Cubs in Chicago.
It's nice to see Ryan Howard hitting the longball again. He hadn't hit one since July 27 against Arizona, and this is normally his time of the year, so hopefully the big guy gets things going again. Jimmy and Shane are setting the table, so it's up to the big guys to bring them in. Raul's been struggling, and so have Chase and Ryan. If one of them can start to break out of their funk, then the rest should follow. Homers by Ryan and Raul in back to back games are a good starting point. The Phils can build from there.
What else can be said about Cliff Lee that hasn't already been said? The man has been nothing but money for the Phillies so far, allowing just three runs in 24 innings while striking out 23 in his three starts. The man has been just as advertised, and if he can keep this up, I want to see him in red for the rest of his career. This might be one of the best trades the Phillies have made since they picked up Steve Carlton, and if he keeps pitching like he's been pitching, the rest of the National League is in big trouble. The defending champs may have gotten that one missing piece that can help push them over the edge again.
Tomorrow, the Phils look to continue their momentum as they travel to Atlanta to face the Braves in a big division series. Joe Blanton (7-6, 4.02 ERA) goes against Jair Jurrjens (9-8, 3.01 ERA). I want the Phils to take two out of three and start gaining some ground back against the Braves and Marlins. Go Phils!
Ryan Howard broke his homerless drought, and Cliff Lee pitched another eight strong innings for the Phillies as they swept the Cubs in Chicago for the first time in 25 years.
What went right?
Shane Victorino didn't get hit with beer today, but he did go 2-5 with two runs scored.
Chase Utley went 1-3 with a run and an RBI.
Ryan Howard was 2-3 with a three run home run and two runs scored.
Pedro Feliz was 2-3 with a home run, two RBI and a run scored.
Cliff Lee pitched eight innings, allowing one run on six hits. He walked three, struck out eight and had a double at the plate as well.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-4.
Jayson Werth was 0-4.
Ben Francisco was 0-4.
Game Analysis:
This was the kind of series the Phillies needed after the way they played against the Marlins last weekend. After being swept at home, the Phils came out and had good pitching and good hitting and got the sweep of the Cubs in Chicago.
It's nice to see Ryan Howard hitting the longball again. He hadn't hit one since July 27 against Arizona, and this is normally his time of the year, so hopefully the big guy gets things going again. Jimmy and Shane are setting the table, so it's up to the big guys to bring them in. Raul's been struggling, and so have Chase and Ryan. If one of them can start to break out of their funk, then the rest should follow. Homers by Ryan and Raul in back to back games are a good starting point. The Phils can build from there.
What else can be said about Cliff Lee that hasn't already been said? The man has been nothing but money for the Phillies so far, allowing just three runs in 24 innings while striking out 23 in his three starts. The man has been just as advertised, and if he can keep this up, I want to see him in red for the rest of his career. This might be one of the best trades the Phillies have made since they picked up Steve Carlton, and if he keeps pitching like he's been pitching, the rest of the National League is in big trouble. The defending champs may have gotten that one missing piece that can help push them over the edge again.
Tomorrow, the Phils look to continue their momentum as they travel to Atlanta to face the Braves in a big division series. Joe Blanton (7-6, 4.02 ERA) goes against Jair Jurrjens (9-8, 3.01 ERA). I want the Phils to take two out of three and start gaining some ground back against the Braves and Marlins. Go Phils!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Phillies Recap: Phillies-12, Cubs-5
Game Recap:
The Phillies rode their offense to their second straight win over the Cubs, with some help from a returning Pedro Martinez.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins went 2-4 with a three run home run. He also scored twice.
Shane Victorino was 2-5 with two RBI, two runs scored and made a great catch when some moron Cub fan decided to throw a beer at him. If this had been in Philly and happened to a Cubs player, the media would be all over it. I doubt this will get the same attention.
Chase Utley was 3-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Ryan Howard went 1-4 with an RBI triple(!).
Raul Ibanez went 1-5 with a three run home run.
Jayson Werth went 2-5 and scored twice.
Pedro Feliz was 2-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
Carlos Ruiz was 1-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
That's a lot of hits!
Also, Pedro Martinez pitched ok, allowing three runs on seven hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked one.
Chan Ho Park looked great in relief, allowing no Cubs to reach base in three innings while striking out three.
What went wrong?
Chad Durbin had to pitch the ninth inning, and allowed two runs (none earned) on two hits to make the game a little closer.
Game Analysis:
Welcome back, Phillies offense. I've missed you in the week and a half that you decided to vanish. It's about time you came back, and boy, you came back in a big way. It didn't take long for the Phils to get started tonight, as Shane, Chase and Ryan greeted Jeff Samardzija with extra base hits, and by the time they really started to get going in the fourth inning, the rookie was out of the game. Let me tell you, it's good to see Jimmy hitting again like he needs to be. With he and Shane both going the way they are right now, this offense can be almost impossible to stop, and the big bats in the middle are going to have plenty of chances to drive in runs.
Now comes the breakdown of the man on the mound tonight. While Pedro wasn't great, he certainly showed flashes of what he could be as the late season progresses. He was on point for the first four innings, then seemed to lose control a little bit in the fifth. The Cubs started to catch up to his stuff, and he got into a jam. The important thing was that he managed to get out of said jam with only two runs crossing the plate. That's not bad after loading the bases with no one out. Did he walk the pitcher? Yes, but, like I just said, he got out of the inning with minor damage. It wasn't his best showing, hell, I don't think anyone expected the 1999 Pedro to come out tonight and mow down the Cubs. What I was looking for was someone who could pitch better in tight situations than Jamie Moyer, and I saw that in Pedro. He was able to get the big strikeout when he needed it, or induce a fly ball out to help defuse a situation. Answer this question...how would Jamie have gotten out of that fifth inning?
It was a good night for the Phillies, and a good start for Pedro. I'm not expecting him to set the world on fire with his pitching, but if he can give the Phils five or six solid innings each time out for the rest of the year, the offense should do enough to win most of the those games. Remember, he's the fifth starter. He doesn't have to be great, just good enough.
Tomorrow afternoon, Cliff Lee (9-9, 2.95 ERA) looks to continue his hot start in a Phils' uniform as he takes on Ryan Dempster (6-5, 4.04 ERA).
The Phillies rode their offense to their second straight win over the Cubs, with some help from a returning Pedro Martinez.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins went 2-4 with a three run home run. He also scored twice.
Shane Victorino was 2-5 with two RBI, two runs scored and made a great catch when some moron Cub fan decided to throw a beer at him. If this had been in Philly and happened to a Cubs player, the media would be all over it. I doubt this will get the same attention.
Chase Utley was 3-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Ryan Howard went 1-4 with an RBI triple(!).
Raul Ibanez went 1-5 with a three run home run.
Jayson Werth went 2-5 and scored twice.
Pedro Feliz was 2-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
Carlos Ruiz was 1-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
That's a lot of hits!
Also, Pedro Martinez pitched ok, allowing three runs on seven hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked one.
Chan Ho Park looked great in relief, allowing no Cubs to reach base in three innings while striking out three.
What went wrong?
Chad Durbin had to pitch the ninth inning, and allowed two runs (none earned) on two hits to make the game a little closer.
Game Analysis:
Welcome back, Phillies offense. I've missed you in the week and a half that you decided to vanish. It's about time you came back, and boy, you came back in a big way. It didn't take long for the Phils to get started tonight, as Shane, Chase and Ryan greeted Jeff Samardzija with extra base hits, and by the time they really started to get going in the fourth inning, the rookie was out of the game. Let me tell you, it's good to see Jimmy hitting again like he needs to be. With he and Shane both going the way they are right now, this offense can be almost impossible to stop, and the big bats in the middle are going to have plenty of chances to drive in runs.
Now comes the breakdown of the man on the mound tonight. While Pedro wasn't great, he certainly showed flashes of what he could be as the late season progresses. He was on point for the first four innings, then seemed to lose control a little bit in the fifth. The Cubs started to catch up to his stuff, and he got into a jam. The important thing was that he managed to get out of said jam with only two runs crossing the plate. That's not bad after loading the bases with no one out. Did he walk the pitcher? Yes, but, like I just said, he got out of the inning with minor damage. It wasn't his best showing, hell, I don't think anyone expected the 1999 Pedro to come out tonight and mow down the Cubs. What I was looking for was someone who could pitch better in tight situations than Jamie Moyer, and I saw that in Pedro. He was able to get the big strikeout when he needed it, or induce a fly ball out to help defuse a situation. Answer this question...how would Jamie have gotten out of that fifth inning?
It was a good night for the Phillies, and a good start for Pedro. I'm not expecting him to set the world on fire with his pitching, but if he can give the Phils five or six solid innings each time out for the rest of the year, the offense should do enough to win most of the those games. Remember, he's the fifth starter. He doesn't have to be great, just good enough.
Tomorrow afternoon, Cliff Lee (9-9, 2.95 ERA) looks to continue his hot start in a Phils' uniform as he takes on Ryan Dempster (6-5, 4.04 ERA).
Phillies Recap: Phillies-4, Cubs-3
Game Recap:
The Phillies only managed three hits, and Brad Lidge blew his seventh save of the season, but they still managed to get past the Cubs and end their three game losing streak.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins went 1-5 with a two run home run.
Ryan Howard went 1-4 with an RBI on a bases loaded walk.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-3, but walked twice and scored each time.
Ben Francisco went 1-5 with the game winning home run in the 12th inning.
J.A. Happ wasn't too bad, pitching six innings and allowing two runs on seven hits. He walked four and struck out three.
Aside from Brad Lidge, the bullpen shut out the Cubs over five innings, allowing just two hits.
What went wrong?
Brad Lidge blew his seventh save of the season, allowing a run on one hit. He also walked a batter and struck out one.
The Phillies were no hit until the sixth inning.
The Phillies left five men on base, and continued to have problems with runners in scoring position.
Game Analysis:
Now that might be the ugliest win I have ever seen for the Phillies. They were outhit 10-3, didn't have a baserunner until the sixth inning and had their closer blow his seventh game of the year, and they still won in extra innings. I'm not happy by any stretch, but a win is a win, and after the way the Phils played against the Marlins, this is a game I'm very happy to have.
The Phillies still seem like they're pushing too hard on offense though. Every time someone comes up to the plate with runners in scoring position, it looks like the batter is trying to knock the ball out of the park. There is no need for everyone on the team to have large home run totals. Sometimes these guys would be better suited if they just tried to put the ball in play. A sacrifice fly looks a whole lot better than a pop up, especially if there's a runner on third. I don't care if you hit the ball 500 feet or 50 feet...these guys need to start driving in runs in ways other than the longball.
That being said, it was good to see the Phillies get back on the winning track. The weekend was just not a good one at all. They got swept by the Marlins, and Jamie Moyer was moved to the bullpen. Of course, he had to go a pitch a bit of a fit about it, but what are you going to tell him? The man isn't pitching well this year, and you're not going to move Happ, Hamels, Lee or Blanton right now. Sorry Jamie, you're the odd man out. Now the Phillies need Pedro to pitch well, or things are going to get quite interesting at the back end of the rotation. Tonight, we'll see how that goes.
Pedro Martinez makes his Phillies debut tonight, as he takes on Jeff Samardzija (1-1, 6.29 ERA). Pedro, just don't be as bad as Moyer has been this season. That's all I'm asking.
The Phillies only managed three hits, and Brad Lidge blew his seventh save of the season, but they still managed to get past the Cubs and end their three game losing streak.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins went 1-5 with a two run home run.
Ryan Howard went 1-4 with an RBI on a bases loaded walk.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-3, but walked twice and scored each time.
Ben Francisco went 1-5 with the game winning home run in the 12th inning.
J.A. Happ wasn't too bad, pitching six innings and allowing two runs on seven hits. He walked four and struck out three.
Aside from Brad Lidge, the bullpen shut out the Cubs over five innings, allowing just two hits.
What went wrong?
Brad Lidge blew his seventh save of the season, allowing a run on one hit. He also walked a batter and struck out one.
The Phillies were no hit until the sixth inning.
The Phillies left five men on base, and continued to have problems with runners in scoring position.
Game Analysis:
Now that might be the ugliest win I have ever seen for the Phillies. They were outhit 10-3, didn't have a baserunner until the sixth inning and had their closer blow his seventh game of the year, and they still won in extra innings. I'm not happy by any stretch, but a win is a win, and after the way the Phils played against the Marlins, this is a game I'm very happy to have.
The Phillies still seem like they're pushing too hard on offense though. Every time someone comes up to the plate with runners in scoring position, it looks like the batter is trying to knock the ball out of the park. There is no need for everyone on the team to have large home run totals. Sometimes these guys would be better suited if they just tried to put the ball in play. A sacrifice fly looks a whole lot better than a pop up, especially if there's a runner on third. I don't care if you hit the ball 500 feet or 50 feet...these guys need to start driving in runs in ways other than the longball.
That being said, it was good to see the Phillies get back on the winning track. The weekend was just not a good one at all. They got swept by the Marlins, and Jamie Moyer was moved to the bullpen. Of course, he had to go a pitch a bit of a fit about it, but what are you going to tell him? The man isn't pitching well this year, and you're not going to move Happ, Hamels, Lee or Blanton right now. Sorry Jamie, you're the odd man out. Now the Phillies need Pedro to pitch well, or things are going to get quite interesting at the back end of the rotation. Tonight, we'll see how that goes.
Pedro Martinez makes his Phillies debut tonight, as he takes on Jeff Samardzija (1-1, 6.29 ERA). Pedro, just don't be as bad as Moyer has been this season. That's all I'm asking.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Phillies Recap: Marlins-12, Phillies-3
Game Recap:
You saw what happened. The Marlins took apart a horrible looking Phillies team, completing the sweep and putting them just four games back.
What went right?
Nothing. I refuse to say anything went right yesterday.
What went wrong?
Jamie Moyer only lasted five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on 11 hits. He walked one and struck out one.
Rodrigo Lopez probably earned himself a ticket back to the minor leagues, allowing six runs on three hits in two thirds of an inning. He also walked three batters.
Brad Lidge gave up another three runs in an inning of work on three hits.
There are way to many people that went 0-the game, so I'm not even going to get started.
Game Analysis:
A complete and utter meltdown. That's what yesterday's game was for the Phillies, and that's why I'm only writing about it right now. I had to cool down after watching that pathetic display of baseball all weekend. I'm not even going to try and break down this one game. It's really simple: the Phillies played like crap in all three games against the Marlins, and now a young team has hope that they can catch the World Champions. This is exactly what the Phillies wanted to avoid going into this series. They should have come out firing on all cylinders and closed the door on Florida. Instead, that door is not only open, but the Marlins are starting to sneak in.
If yesterday's game was supposed to be an audition for Jamie Moyer, he should look into a few other career options. While he only managed to give up three runs, he didn't make it through the sixth inning and allowed 11 hits. Yes, he was getting squeezed by the home plate ump, but good pitchers can get past that. Right now, Jamie is not a good pitcher, not by any stretch of the imagination, and I'd take Pedro freaking Martinez in there over him.
I don't have much else to add about the Shane Victorino incident that hasn't already been said, other than it was totally ridiculous for Ed Rapuano to throw Shane out while Shane is in center field. Did the ump miss that strike call? Yeah, he did, and he'd missed a few more earlier in the game that went against the Phillies, too. Was Shane frustrated? You bet he was, but throwing your arms into the air is not grounds for ejection. Rapuano overreacted, and since he's the ump, he's right by default and Shane got the boot. There's no telling how much that ended up impacting the game, but considering the Phillies gave up six runs in that same inning, with three of them coming on an error by Jayson Werth, who replaced Victorino, I'd say it was pretty big. At least Shane hit Paul Bako first before getting to Rapuano, or he'd be looking at a suspension.
Let's face it...this isn't fun baseball right now. Ever since the Cliff Lee trade, the Phils are 3-8, and two of those wins are thanks to Cliff Lee. They're not hitting well, their pitching has gone south and their defense is below average too. They have a day off today, then take on the Cubs. Hopefully, something will change.
Tomorrow, J.A. Happ (8-2, 2.74 ERA) will hopefully pull the Phillies out of this funk. He's facing off against Rich Harden (7-7, 4.41 ERA). Come on Phils, don't do this to me any more.
You saw what happened. The Marlins took apart a horrible looking Phillies team, completing the sweep and putting them just four games back.
What went right?
Nothing. I refuse to say anything went right yesterday.
What went wrong?
Jamie Moyer only lasted five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on 11 hits. He walked one and struck out one.
Rodrigo Lopez probably earned himself a ticket back to the minor leagues, allowing six runs on three hits in two thirds of an inning. He also walked three batters.
Brad Lidge gave up another three runs in an inning of work on three hits.
There are way to many people that went 0-the game, so I'm not even going to get started.
Game Analysis:
A complete and utter meltdown. That's what yesterday's game was for the Phillies, and that's why I'm only writing about it right now. I had to cool down after watching that pathetic display of baseball all weekend. I'm not even going to try and break down this one game. It's really simple: the Phillies played like crap in all three games against the Marlins, and now a young team has hope that they can catch the World Champions. This is exactly what the Phillies wanted to avoid going into this series. They should have come out firing on all cylinders and closed the door on Florida. Instead, that door is not only open, but the Marlins are starting to sneak in.
If yesterday's game was supposed to be an audition for Jamie Moyer, he should look into a few other career options. While he only managed to give up three runs, he didn't make it through the sixth inning and allowed 11 hits. Yes, he was getting squeezed by the home plate ump, but good pitchers can get past that. Right now, Jamie is not a good pitcher, not by any stretch of the imagination, and I'd take Pedro freaking Martinez in there over him.
I don't have much else to add about the Shane Victorino incident that hasn't already been said, other than it was totally ridiculous for Ed Rapuano to throw Shane out while Shane is in center field. Did the ump miss that strike call? Yeah, he did, and he'd missed a few more earlier in the game that went against the Phillies, too. Was Shane frustrated? You bet he was, but throwing your arms into the air is not grounds for ejection. Rapuano overreacted, and since he's the ump, he's right by default and Shane got the boot. There's no telling how much that ended up impacting the game, but considering the Phillies gave up six runs in that same inning, with three of them coming on an error by Jayson Werth, who replaced Victorino, I'd say it was pretty big. At least Shane hit Paul Bako first before getting to Rapuano, or he'd be looking at a suspension.
Let's face it...this isn't fun baseball right now. Ever since the Cliff Lee trade, the Phils are 3-8, and two of those wins are thanks to Cliff Lee. They're not hitting well, their pitching has gone south and their defense is below average too. They have a day off today, then take on the Cubs. Hopefully, something will change.
Tomorrow, J.A. Happ (8-2, 2.74 ERA) will hopefully pull the Phillies out of this funk. He's facing off against Rich Harden (7-7, 4.41 ERA). Come on Phils, don't do this to me any more.
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