Game Recap:
The Phillies moved to ten games over .500 thanks to a walk off hit in the 11th inning by Wilson Valdez that extended their winning streak to eight straight.
What went right?
Placido Polanco was 2-5.
Raul Ibanez went 1-4 with a home run.
Cody freaking Ransom was 2-4 with a walk and two runs scored.
Carlos Ruiz was 2-5 with an RBI.
Wilson Valdez somehow convinced people he was not Wilson Valdez, as he went 3-5 with the game winning RBI.
Kyle Kendrick pitched well, allowing a single run on four hits in 6.1 innings. He walked three and struck out five while going 1-1 at the plate.
What went wrong?
Ryan Howard was 0-5 with two strikeouts.
Jayson Werth went 0-5 with three strikeouts.
J.C. Romero didn't have his best bullpen outing, allowing a run on a hit and two walks in the ninth inning.
Game Analysis:
It wasn't the best game for the Phillies, but it turned out to be another win, as the Phils took their eighth straight win and swept the Arizona Diamondbacks out of Philadelphia. With Cody Ransom on second base, Wilson Valdez validated his being on this team with a game winning single in the 11th inning that gave the Phillies another win and moved them to within two and a half games of the Atlanta Braves.
While the offense didn't look that great tonight, Kyle Kendrick was solid. He gave up just a single run in 6.1 innings, and Charlie Manuel played it smart with him tonight. When he got in trouble in the seventh inning, he was taken out of the game, and he had a 2-1 lead. Kendrick did what he had to tonight to retire the side and look good as the Phillies' fourth starter. Kendrick didn't run into the same problems that he had during most of the regular season, and he was able to keep the bullpen out of the game for the first six innings. If a starting pitcher is doing that, then he's doing a good job. That's all there is to it.
The Phillies only scored three times tonight, but those three times were worth it. Raul Ibanez continued his hot streak with a home run, and Carlos Ruiz did his part with a double. Aside from those hits, the offense was quiet for most of the night, as the Phillies couldn't get past Joe Saunders. However, they did what they had to do, and won their eighth game in a row. The offense is clicking at the right time, and with the pitching coming together and adding Roy Oswalt, this team is only going to get better.
Tomorrow, the Phils look to build from their walk-off win as they take on the Washington Nationals. Roy Oswalt (6-12, 3.42 ERA) makes his debut as a Phillie as he takes on Craig Stammen (2-4, 5.50 ERA).
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Done Deal: Roy Oswalt is a Phillie
It had been building for a few weeks, but today, with the trade deadline looming, the Phillies made their trade for another ace pitcher. As reported by CSNPhilly.com, the Phillies have acquired Roy Oswalt from the Houston Astros for J.A. Happ and minor leaguers Jonathan Villar and Anthony Gose. On top of that, the Astros will be picking up $11 million of the $23 million that Oswalt is owed through the 2011 season.
At first glance, this is a great trade by the Phillies and Ruben Amaro. Then, at second and third glance, it looks like an even better trade. No offense to J.A. Happ, but he;s not Roy Oswalt. I loved having Happ in the rotation, but Oswalt is much, much more proven than Happ is and could ever be. Happ's been included in trade talk for Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay and now finally got moved for Oswalt, and you had to see it coming. The only way that the Phils were going to be able to get Oswalt away from the Astros was to include Happ, so he had to go. When you look at the two prospects that the Phillies sent to Houston, they're just that: prospects. Jonathan Villar looks like a solid defensive prospect at shortstop with good speed, but he struggles at the the plate. Meanwhile, Houston turned around and sent Anthony Gose to Toronto for Brett Wallace, so they already moved him. Gose is one of the fastest players in the minor leagues, but like Villar, he's not great at the plate so far and has no power to speak of. So for now, the deal is just Oswalt for Happ, which I would make 100 times out of 100 if I had to.
Not only that, but the Phillies got Houston to pay for over half of Oswalt's salary through the 2011 season, keeping their own payroll down and allowing them to make a little more room for other roster moves. While this move looks like it means the end of Jayson Werth in Philadelphia after this season, you can never have enough starting pitching, and having Roy Oswalt, Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels as the top three pitchers in your starting rotation is amazing. Add into that the fact that all three of them could potentially be with the team through the 2012 season, and that's a top of the rotation that measures against any in baseball. Yes, the Phils would have to foot the bill for Oswalt's $16 million option in 2012, but they don't have to cross that bridge yet. For now, they just get to enjoy a pitcher who has been one of the best in the National League over the past decade with playoff experience.
Sure, Oswalt has struggled this season, but he still has a 3.42 ERA. The Astros managed just 2.5 runs in support of Oswalt in 20 starts this year, and they were shut out 5 times with him on the mound as well. All in all, he just wasn't getting the run support that he needed to have a solid record down in Houston, and the Phillies are really starting to heat up at the plate, meaning that Oswalt should be a very good fit here with the Phils.
Over the last 12 months, the Phillies have traded for Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt. The time to list this team as a pretender is officially over. With each one of these trades, they've moved closer and closer to the territory of the Yankees and Red Sox as a team that you expect to come out and win the World Series every single year. The talent is there at the plate, and now the Phillies have three pitchers who could be a number one starter for most of the other teams in baseball. It's a good feeling to have after watching this team struggle for years. Having this rotation for the rest of the season and next year is going to be a lot of fun.
Thanks, Ed Wade. You seem to make better trades for the Phillies with you in Houston than you did here. Nice job.
CSNPhilly.com: Phillies trade for Oswalt
At first glance, this is a great trade by the Phillies and Ruben Amaro. Then, at second and third glance, it looks like an even better trade. No offense to J.A. Happ, but he;s not Roy Oswalt. I loved having Happ in the rotation, but Oswalt is much, much more proven than Happ is and could ever be. Happ's been included in trade talk for Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay and now finally got moved for Oswalt, and you had to see it coming. The only way that the Phils were going to be able to get Oswalt away from the Astros was to include Happ, so he had to go. When you look at the two prospects that the Phillies sent to Houston, they're just that: prospects. Jonathan Villar looks like a solid defensive prospect at shortstop with good speed, but he struggles at the the plate. Meanwhile, Houston turned around and sent Anthony Gose to Toronto for Brett Wallace, so they already moved him. Gose is one of the fastest players in the minor leagues, but like Villar, he's not great at the plate so far and has no power to speak of. So for now, the deal is just Oswalt for Happ, which I would make 100 times out of 100 if I had to.
Not only that, but the Phillies got Houston to pay for over half of Oswalt's salary through the 2011 season, keeping their own payroll down and allowing them to make a little more room for other roster moves. While this move looks like it means the end of Jayson Werth in Philadelphia after this season, you can never have enough starting pitching, and having Roy Oswalt, Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels as the top three pitchers in your starting rotation is amazing. Add into that the fact that all three of them could potentially be with the team through the 2012 season, and that's a top of the rotation that measures against any in baseball. Yes, the Phils would have to foot the bill for Oswalt's $16 million option in 2012, but they don't have to cross that bridge yet. For now, they just get to enjoy a pitcher who has been one of the best in the National League over the past decade with playoff experience.
Sure, Oswalt has struggled this season, but he still has a 3.42 ERA. The Astros managed just 2.5 runs in support of Oswalt in 20 starts this year, and they were shut out 5 times with him on the mound as well. All in all, he just wasn't getting the run support that he needed to have a solid record down in Houston, and the Phillies are really starting to heat up at the plate, meaning that Oswalt should be a very good fit here with the Phils.
Over the last 12 months, the Phillies have traded for Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt. The time to list this team as a pretender is officially over. With each one of these trades, they've moved closer and closer to the territory of the Yankees and Red Sox as a team that you expect to come out and win the World Series every single year. The talent is there at the plate, and now the Phillies have three pitchers who could be a number one starter for most of the other teams in baseball. It's a good feeling to have after watching this team struggle for years. Having this rotation for the rest of the season and next year is going to be a lot of fun.
Thanks, Ed Wade. You seem to make better trades for the Phillies with you in Houston than you did here. Nice job.
CSNPhilly.com: Phillies trade for Oswalt
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-7, Diamondbacks-1
Game Recap:
The Phillies got another complete game from Roy Halladay, as well as a great showing from Domonic Brown in his Major League debut as the Phillies won their seventh game in a row.
What went right?
Placido Polanco went 1-5 with an RBI.
Raul Ibanez was 2-3 with two walks and two runs scored.
Domonic Brown made his Major League debut and looked great, going 2-3 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI.
Jayson Werth was 3-4 with three runs scored.
Carlos Ruiz went 3-4 with three RBI.
Roy Halladay pitched a complete game, allowing a single run on six hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out nine.
What went wrong?
Greg Dobbs was 0-4.
Ryan Howard went 0-4 with four strikeouts.
Wilson Valdez was...Wilson Valdez. Sure, he drove in a run, but he was still 0-3.
Game Analysis:
Tonight was the seventh straight win for the Phillies, but that wasn't the story. Roy Halladay's complete game victory wasn't the story, either. Tonight, the story was about Domonic Brown and his debut in the Major Leagues. A lot of people, myself included, had said that if and when Shane Victorino went on the Disabled List, he should be called up, and that was the case today. Victorino was placed on the 15 day disabled list, and Domonic Brown was called up.
In his first major league at bat, Brown showed what he can do. He drove a pitch just about out of Citizens Bank Park for an RBI double, and then scored later on in the second inning. He would score again in the sixth inning, and drive in a run in the seventh inning. It made for a productive day for the newest Phillie, who is looking at maybe just two weeks on the roster before being sent back to Triple A. So far, it's been great for Domonic Brown. Tonight, he drove in two runs and scored twice. That's all you can expect from a rookie in his first start and then some. If he can continue with this pace, he'll be just fine, and he might be great even if he can't.
The offense looked great tonight, but it was another complete game effort from Roy Halladay that carried the day. Once again, Halladay finished the game, allowing a single run during nine innings. I don't know what else can be done for him, as he is just dominating opposing teams at the moment, but for the most part, he is looking like one of the best pitchers in the National League. Ubaldo Jimenez has slowed down, but Halladay has looked good all season. If he had run support from the Phils, he would have 15 wins, too. It's just that simple. Now, the Phils are starting to win, and Halladay is around for the ride. He still has just 12 wins, but as the season goes on, he'll get more and more.
It was a great day in all for the Phillies. Roy Halladay pitched another complete game, and Domonic Brown looked every bit like the player he should be for the Phillies for at least one game. Tomorrow, the Phils look to increase their seven game winning streak against new Diamondback Joe Saunders. Kyle Kendrick (6-4, 4.60 ERA) goes for the Phillies.
The Phillies got another complete game from Roy Halladay, as well as a great showing from Domonic Brown in his Major League debut as the Phillies won their seventh game in a row.
What went right?
Placido Polanco went 1-5 with an RBI.
Raul Ibanez was 2-3 with two walks and two runs scored.
Domonic Brown made his Major League debut and looked great, going 2-3 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI.
Jayson Werth was 3-4 with three runs scored.
Carlos Ruiz went 3-4 with three RBI.
Roy Halladay pitched a complete game, allowing a single run on six hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out nine.
What went wrong?
Greg Dobbs was 0-4.
Ryan Howard went 0-4 with four strikeouts.
Wilson Valdez was...Wilson Valdez. Sure, he drove in a run, but he was still 0-3.
Game Analysis:
Tonight was the seventh straight win for the Phillies, but that wasn't the story. Roy Halladay's complete game victory wasn't the story, either. Tonight, the story was about Domonic Brown and his debut in the Major Leagues. A lot of people, myself included, had said that if and when Shane Victorino went on the Disabled List, he should be called up, and that was the case today. Victorino was placed on the 15 day disabled list, and Domonic Brown was called up.
In his first major league at bat, Brown showed what he can do. He drove a pitch just about out of Citizens Bank Park for an RBI double, and then scored later on in the second inning. He would score again in the sixth inning, and drive in a run in the seventh inning. It made for a productive day for the newest Phillie, who is looking at maybe just two weeks on the roster before being sent back to Triple A. So far, it's been great for Domonic Brown. Tonight, he drove in two runs and scored twice. That's all you can expect from a rookie in his first start and then some. If he can continue with this pace, he'll be just fine, and he might be great even if he can't.
The offense looked great tonight, but it was another complete game effort from Roy Halladay that carried the day. Once again, Halladay finished the game, allowing a single run during nine innings. I don't know what else can be done for him, as he is just dominating opposing teams at the moment, but for the most part, he is looking like one of the best pitchers in the National League. Ubaldo Jimenez has slowed down, but Halladay has looked good all season. If he had run support from the Phils, he would have 15 wins, too. It's just that simple. Now, the Phils are starting to win, and Halladay is around for the ride. He still has just 12 wins, but as the season goes on, he'll get more and more.
It was a great day in all for the Phillies. Roy Halladay pitched another complete game, and Domonic Brown looked every bit like the player he should be for the Phillies for at least one game. Tomorrow, the Phils look to increase their seven game winning streak against new Diamondback Joe Saunders. Kyle Kendrick (6-4, 4.60 ERA) goes for the Phillies.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-9, Diamondbacks-5
Game Recap:
The Phillies continued their winning ways with a good showing at the plate against Arizona, which helped offset an average night from Cole Hamels and continued their season high six game winning streak.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 2-4 with a run scored before leaving the game with a hip injury in the seventh inning.
Placido Polanco went 2-5 and scored a run.
Raul Ibanez continued his hot streak, going 2-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Ryan Howard was 2-4 with a two run home run, two runs scored and three RBI.
Jayson Werth went 2-3 with a run scored, a home run and two RBI.
Carlos Ruiz went 2-3 with an RBI.
Cody freaking Ransom was 1-2 off the bench with a two run home run.
What went wrong?
Cole Hamels didn't have the best game, throwing just five innings while allowing three runs on six hits. He walked four batters and struck out eight.
David Herndon picked up the win, but only because someone had to. He allowed two runs (one earned) in the sixth inning on a hit and a walk.
Wilson Valdez went 0-3, proving once again that Wilson Valdez is the only man who can't get just a single hit out of 13 from the Phils.
Did I mention that Shane Victorino got hurt?
Game Analysis:
Another day, and it's another win for the Phillies, who suddenly look more like the team that started out this season on fire than the team that couldn't do anything right for almost two months. Tonight, Cole Hamels didn't pitch that well, but the offense was actually able to back him up, scoring nine times on 13 hits as the Phils won their sixth in a row and moved to within 3.5 games of the Atlanta Braves for first place in the National League East.
With Ryan Howard doing most of the heavy lifting for the heart of the offense, it was hopefully only a matter of time until the other bats got back to hitting, and for tonight, it at least looked that way. Raul Ibanez kept up his little hot streak, hitting safely in his sixth consecutive game while driving in another run with a single in the sixth inning. Jayson Werth had his first home run in ages with a two run shot in the fifth, and Ryan Howard just kept being Ryan Howard, driving in three runs and hitting his 23rd home run of the season. With a little backup from Cody Ransom and his home run in the seventh, the Phils had more than enough at the plate tonight. Jimmy Rollins missed the game with a sore foot, however, and Shane Victorino had to leave with a left oblique strain that could keep him out for a period of time, so the injury bug may be striking yet again.
This time, if Victorino is out for any extended period of time, the Phillies have to look into calling Domonic Brown up from Lehigh Valley. It sounds like a broken record right now with people saying he needs to come up, but the Phils have no other options right now if Victorino does need to go on the disabled list. To put it simply, Brown is ready. He hit .318 in Reading this season with 15 home runs, and is killing the ball at Triple A, smacking five home runs and batting .340 with 19 RBI in 27 games. To top it off, he's only 22 years old right now. Honestly, without making a move outside the club, there are no other options at this point. I hope that Victorino isn't going to miss much time, but if he does, at least the Phillies have Brown at a backup plan. Jayson Werth can play a few games in center field, and Brown can handle playing right field for a bit. Besides, a little major league experience would help him out even more. It's going to happen next season anyway, so the Phils might as well call him up a bit early if they have to.
All the hitting tonight offset what was a pretty average showing from Cole Hamels. Hamels didn't have his usual solid stuff tonight, though he was still decent. Arizona made him throw a lot of pitches and worked a lot of deep counts, which is why he only lasted five innings. Usually, if you can get six hits and three runs out of a starting pitcher, that's a good night, but when it happens in only five innings with 108 pitches being thrown, it wasn't that good of a night on the mound. However, the Phillies at least had the offense ready and able to back Hamels up tonight, which was a nice change from most of his outings this year. It was another no decision for Cole, but at least this one ended up with a win, despite the best efforts of David Herndon out of the bullpen. Luckily, the rest of the bullpen was solid, with Jose Contreras getting into a little trouble in the eight, only to get bailed out by a great defensive play by Ryan Howard. Other than that, Arizona was held without another run, as Danys Baez, Contreras and Ryan Madson shut the door for the final three innings.
It was another good win tonight for the Phillies, who did it this time with their bats in place of solid starting pitching. One bad outing isn't going to kill Cole Hamels, who is still having a great year, despite his 7-7 record. Regardless, the Phils have turned a six game hole in the National League East into just a 3.5 game hole in a week. This is a very good thing.
Tomorrow, Roy Halladay (11-8, 2.28 ERA) looks to extend the winning streak, as he faces off against Edwin Jackson (6-9, 5.01 ERA).
The Phillies continued their winning ways with a good showing at the plate against Arizona, which helped offset an average night from Cole Hamels and continued their season high six game winning streak.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 2-4 with a run scored before leaving the game with a hip injury in the seventh inning.
Placido Polanco went 2-5 and scored a run.
Raul Ibanez continued his hot streak, going 2-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Ryan Howard was 2-4 with a two run home run, two runs scored and three RBI.
Jayson Werth went 2-3 with a run scored, a home run and two RBI.
Carlos Ruiz went 2-3 with an RBI.
Cody freaking Ransom was 1-2 off the bench with a two run home run.
What went wrong?
Cole Hamels didn't have the best game, throwing just five innings while allowing three runs on six hits. He walked four batters and struck out eight.
David Herndon picked up the win, but only because someone had to. He allowed two runs (one earned) in the sixth inning on a hit and a walk.
Wilson Valdez went 0-3, proving once again that Wilson Valdez is the only man who can't get just a single hit out of 13 from the Phils.
Did I mention that Shane Victorino got hurt?
Game Analysis:
Another day, and it's another win for the Phillies, who suddenly look more like the team that started out this season on fire than the team that couldn't do anything right for almost two months. Tonight, Cole Hamels didn't pitch that well, but the offense was actually able to back him up, scoring nine times on 13 hits as the Phils won their sixth in a row and moved to within 3.5 games of the Atlanta Braves for first place in the National League East.
With Ryan Howard doing most of the heavy lifting for the heart of the offense, it was hopefully only a matter of time until the other bats got back to hitting, and for tonight, it at least looked that way. Raul Ibanez kept up his little hot streak, hitting safely in his sixth consecutive game while driving in another run with a single in the sixth inning. Jayson Werth had his first home run in ages with a two run shot in the fifth, and Ryan Howard just kept being Ryan Howard, driving in three runs and hitting his 23rd home run of the season. With a little backup from Cody Ransom and his home run in the seventh, the Phils had more than enough at the plate tonight. Jimmy Rollins missed the game with a sore foot, however, and Shane Victorino had to leave with a left oblique strain that could keep him out for a period of time, so the injury bug may be striking yet again.
This time, if Victorino is out for any extended period of time, the Phillies have to look into calling Domonic Brown up from Lehigh Valley. It sounds like a broken record right now with people saying he needs to come up, but the Phils have no other options right now if Victorino does need to go on the disabled list. To put it simply, Brown is ready. He hit .318 in Reading this season with 15 home runs, and is killing the ball at Triple A, smacking five home runs and batting .340 with 19 RBI in 27 games. To top it off, he's only 22 years old right now. Honestly, without making a move outside the club, there are no other options at this point. I hope that Victorino isn't going to miss much time, but if he does, at least the Phillies have Brown at a backup plan. Jayson Werth can play a few games in center field, and Brown can handle playing right field for a bit. Besides, a little major league experience would help him out even more. It's going to happen next season anyway, so the Phils might as well call him up a bit early if they have to.
All the hitting tonight offset what was a pretty average showing from Cole Hamels. Hamels didn't have his usual solid stuff tonight, though he was still decent. Arizona made him throw a lot of pitches and worked a lot of deep counts, which is why he only lasted five innings. Usually, if you can get six hits and three runs out of a starting pitcher, that's a good night, but when it happens in only five innings with 108 pitches being thrown, it wasn't that good of a night on the mound. However, the Phillies at least had the offense ready and able to back Hamels up tonight, which was a nice change from most of his outings this year. It was another no decision for Cole, but at least this one ended up with a win, despite the best efforts of David Herndon out of the bullpen. Luckily, the rest of the bullpen was solid, with Jose Contreras getting into a little trouble in the eight, only to get bailed out by a great defensive play by Ryan Howard. Other than that, Arizona was held without another run, as Danys Baez, Contreras and Ryan Madson shut the door for the final three innings.
It was another good win tonight for the Phillies, who did it this time with their bats in place of solid starting pitching. One bad outing isn't going to kill Cole Hamels, who is still having a great year, despite his 7-7 record. Regardless, the Phils have turned a six game hole in the National League East into just a 3.5 game hole in a week. This is a very good thing.
Tomorrow, Roy Halladay (11-8, 2.28 ERA) looks to extend the winning streak, as he faces off against Edwin Jackson (6-9, 5.01 ERA).
Monday, July 26, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-5, Rockies-4
Sorry about the lack of the last two updates and the Phillie of the Week. A weekend trip to see the family in South Jersey turned into an "oh my God, why is my stomach making those noises?" trip. After 36 hours, I'm back in Central Jersey, and can hold down water. It's progress. Oh, and Ryan Howard is the Phillie of the Week again, because he's awesome.
Game Recap:
Joe Blanton actually pitched six solid innings, and despite Brad Lidge's best efforts, the Phillies held on for a 5-4 victory over Colorado that gave them a four game sweep over the Rockies.
What went right?
Placido Polanco was 2-5 with an RBI.
Raul Ibanez went 1-3 with a walk and an RBI.
Ross Gload went 1-3 with a double and a run scored.
Greg Dobbs somehow was 2-4 with two runs scored.
Brian Schneider was 1-3 with a walk, a triple, two runs scored and two RBI.
Joe Blanton picked up his first win in a month, allowing two runs on six hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out two.
What went wrong?
Ryan Howard was 0-3 with three strikeouts and a walk.
Brad Lidge picked up the save, but man, was it close. He allowed two runs on a home run by Seth Smith, gave up three hits and walked two. Somehow, he managed to get his tenth save of the season.
Game Analysis:
Sure, the Rockies have been struggling since the All Star Break, but it's always good to finish off a four game sweep, especially when one of your weakest starting pitchers is out on the mound. Today, Charlie Manuel did the right thing, and pulled Joe Blanton before he allowed the big inning. That allowed the Phillies to hold on for a 5-4 win over the Colorado Rockies and complete the four game sweep, giving them a five game winning streak.
To be fair, while he was in the game, Blanton did a decent job. Aside from the first inning, he didn't allow a run, and while he did have his share of men on base, he did a good job keeping them from crossing the plate. It was exactly what the Phillies needed to cap this series. After Kyle Kendrick managed to defeat Ubaldo Jimenez, anything seemed possible for the next two games. On Sunday, Jimmy Rollins scored the game winning run on a wild pitch that Miguel Olivo couldn't find, and then came today. With Joe Blanton on the mound, the Phillies knew that they would have to come out with a solid effort, and they did just that. Blanton got into trouble in the first inning, allowing two runs, but after that, he was solid, keeping Colorado off the board. He didn't have his best stuff today, only getting two 1-2-3 innings, but he did what he had to do. It's typical of how Joe Blanton has pitched this year, and it shows one of the biggest weaknesses that the Phillies have on their team now.
Aside from Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels, the other three starting pitchers that the Phillies have are very unproven this year. Kyle Kendrick and Joe Blanton haven't had their best stuff during the season, and J.A. Happ has made three starts and is being mentioned as trade bait for a second straight season. For today, at least, Blanton looked more like the pitcher that has done well for the Phillies over the last two seasons than the pitcher that has struggled through much of this season. Sure, he only struck out two, and spent a lot of time with runners on base, but he did his job and got out of innings without giving up runs. Not only that, but Charlie Manuel made the smart move by getting him out before he could have his usual big inning. It still wasn't as good as people want from Blanton, but all things considered, it was at least good.
The offense didn't show the same pop that they had in the first two games of this series, but they did what they had to do, and took advantage of mistakes made by the Rockies. On back to back plays in the second inning, Jason Giambi committed errors, and the Phils turned those errors into an extra run that never should have crossed the plate. They had trouble against Jason Hammel today, but they still forced him out before six innings. Raul Ibanez continued his best streak of the season by hitting safely in his sixth straight game while driving in another RBI. In the absence of Chase Utley, the other players are going to have to step up, and it's good to see Raul finally doing his part this year. His power numbers are still down, but it's like that throughout baseball for the most part. If he can keep hitting the way that he is right now, it's only going to help this team, especially when Ryan Howard has a poor game like he did today. The other players in the lineup have to step up, and that's what happened today. Ibanez had a clutch hit in the sixth inning, and Brian Schneider had a two run triple in the second that helped matters as well. It wasn't always pretty from the offense today, or yesterday, but it still worked.
Then, there's Brad Lidge. Over the last two days, Lidge has picked up back to back saves, but he sure as hell hasn't made it easy. In both games, Lidge got out of bases loaded, two out jams with the tying run on third base. Today should have at least been easier than yesterday, because the Phillies had a three run lead. Well, that wasn't good enough for Lidge, who retired two of the first three batters he faced before giving up a home run to Seth Smith, then giving up a walk, allowing a single and throwing a wild pitch that made him intentionally walk Jason Giambi. Luckily for the Phillies, he was able to get Ryan Spillborghs to ground out to end the game, but that's not the entire point here. Sure, he was able to get another save, and that looks good, but it wasn't good. When a closer has to throw 34 pitches to close out what was a three run game, that's not good enough at all. The day before, Lidge needed 30 pitches to finish a one run game that ended with the bases loaded as well. That's 64 pitches in two games. To put this in perspective, Heath Bell, who leads the league in saves with 29 and hasn't blown a save since May, needed 47 pitches to close out his last three games. That's a big difference, even if it doesn't actually look like it.
If you actually think that Brad Lidge is going to be a solid closer for the rest of the year, well then you need to start thinking again. One of the biggest reasons that the Phillies were unable to win back to back World Series titles was because they couldn't hold leads in late innings. In 2008, the Phils were unstoppable when they had a late lead. Lidge never blew a save, and things were great. Last year, Lidge blew 11 saves and had a hand in the Game 4 loss that cost the Phils a chance to take a 3-2 lead back to New York. So far this year, he's managed just ten saves, with three blown saves, plus a stint on the disabled list. Look, I love Lidge for what he did during the 2008 season, but that wasn't what Brad Lidge is. Brad Lidge is a closer that is going to get men on base and give the opposing team a chance to come back. It's what he was in Houston, and it's what he is now. For the Phillies, he's got to be better, or they have to find a better option. Considering Lidge is signed for big money through next season, it's going to be hard to find a better option, so Lidge had better shape up, and fast. I don't expect a repeat of the 2008 season, but I'd like something in between that and 2009.
Tomorrow, Cole Hamels (7-7, 3.40 ERA) looks to keep the Phils' winning streak going as he faces Arizona and former Phillie Rodrigo Lopez (5-9, 4.58 ERA).
Game Recap:
Joe Blanton actually pitched six solid innings, and despite Brad Lidge's best efforts, the Phillies held on for a 5-4 victory over Colorado that gave them a four game sweep over the Rockies.
What went right?
Placido Polanco was 2-5 with an RBI.
Raul Ibanez went 1-3 with a walk and an RBI.
Ross Gload went 1-3 with a double and a run scored.
Greg Dobbs somehow was 2-4 with two runs scored.
Brian Schneider was 1-3 with a walk, a triple, two runs scored and two RBI.
Joe Blanton picked up his first win in a month, allowing two runs on six hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out two.
What went wrong?
Ryan Howard was 0-3 with three strikeouts and a walk.
Brad Lidge picked up the save, but man, was it close. He allowed two runs on a home run by Seth Smith, gave up three hits and walked two. Somehow, he managed to get his tenth save of the season.
Game Analysis:
Sure, the Rockies have been struggling since the All Star Break, but it's always good to finish off a four game sweep, especially when one of your weakest starting pitchers is out on the mound. Today, Charlie Manuel did the right thing, and pulled Joe Blanton before he allowed the big inning. That allowed the Phillies to hold on for a 5-4 win over the Colorado Rockies and complete the four game sweep, giving them a five game winning streak.
To be fair, while he was in the game, Blanton did a decent job. Aside from the first inning, he didn't allow a run, and while he did have his share of men on base, he did a good job keeping them from crossing the plate. It was exactly what the Phillies needed to cap this series. After Kyle Kendrick managed to defeat Ubaldo Jimenez, anything seemed possible for the next two games. On Sunday, Jimmy Rollins scored the game winning run on a wild pitch that Miguel Olivo couldn't find, and then came today. With Joe Blanton on the mound, the Phillies knew that they would have to come out with a solid effort, and they did just that. Blanton got into trouble in the first inning, allowing two runs, but after that, he was solid, keeping Colorado off the board. He didn't have his best stuff today, only getting two 1-2-3 innings, but he did what he had to do. It's typical of how Joe Blanton has pitched this year, and it shows one of the biggest weaknesses that the Phillies have on their team now.
Aside from Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels, the other three starting pitchers that the Phillies have are very unproven this year. Kyle Kendrick and Joe Blanton haven't had their best stuff during the season, and J.A. Happ has made three starts and is being mentioned as trade bait for a second straight season. For today, at least, Blanton looked more like the pitcher that has done well for the Phillies over the last two seasons than the pitcher that has struggled through much of this season. Sure, he only struck out two, and spent a lot of time with runners on base, but he did his job and got out of innings without giving up runs. Not only that, but Charlie Manuel made the smart move by getting him out before he could have his usual big inning. It still wasn't as good as people want from Blanton, but all things considered, it was at least good.
The offense didn't show the same pop that they had in the first two games of this series, but they did what they had to do, and took advantage of mistakes made by the Rockies. On back to back plays in the second inning, Jason Giambi committed errors, and the Phils turned those errors into an extra run that never should have crossed the plate. They had trouble against Jason Hammel today, but they still forced him out before six innings. Raul Ibanez continued his best streak of the season by hitting safely in his sixth straight game while driving in another RBI. In the absence of Chase Utley, the other players are going to have to step up, and it's good to see Raul finally doing his part this year. His power numbers are still down, but it's like that throughout baseball for the most part. If he can keep hitting the way that he is right now, it's only going to help this team, especially when Ryan Howard has a poor game like he did today. The other players in the lineup have to step up, and that's what happened today. Ibanez had a clutch hit in the sixth inning, and Brian Schneider had a two run triple in the second that helped matters as well. It wasn't always pretty from the offense today, or yesterday, but it still worked.
Then, there's Brad Lidge. Over the last two days, Lidge has picked up back to back saves, but he sure as hell hasn't made it easy. In both games, Lidge got out of bases loaded, two out jams with the tying run on third base. Today should have at least been easier than yesterday, because the Phillies had a three run lead. Well, that wasn't good enough for Lidge, who retired two of the first three batters he faced before giving up a home run to Seth Smith, then giving up a walk, allowing a single and throwing a wild pitch that made him intentionally walk Jason Giambi. Luckily for the Phillies, he was able to get Ryan Spillborghs to ground out to end the game, but that's not the entire point here. Sure, he was able to get another save, and that looks good, but it wasn't good. When a closer has to throw 34 pitches to close out what was a three run game, that's not good enough at all. The day before, Lidge needed 30 pitches to finish a one run game that ended with the bases loaded as well. That's 64 pitches in two games. To put this in perspective, Heath Bell, who leads the league in saves with 29 and hasn't blown a save since May, needed 47 pitches to close out his last three games. That's a big difference, even if it doesn't actually look like it.
If you actually think that Brad Lidge is going to be a solid closer for the rest of the year, well then you need to start thinking again. One of the biggest reasons that the Phillies were unable to win back to back World Series titles was because they couldn't hold leads in late innings. In 2008, the Phils were unstoppable when they had a late lead. Lidge never blew a save, and things were great. Last year, Lidge blew 11 saves and had a hand in the Game 4 loss that cost the Phils a chance to take a 3-2 lead back to New York. So far this year, he's managed just ten saves, with three blown saves, plus a stint on the disabled list. Look, I love Lidge for what he did during the 2008 season, but that wasn't what Brad Lidge is. Brad Lidge is a closer that is going to get men on base and give the opposing team a chance to come back. It's what he was in Houston, and it's what he is now. For the Phillies, he's got to be better, or they have to find a better option. Considering Lidge is signed for big money through next season, it's going to be hard to find a better option, so Lidge had better shape up, and fast. I don't expect a repeat of the 2008 season, but I'd like something in between that and 2009.
Tomorrow, Cole Hamels (7-7, 3.40 ERA) looks to keep the Phils' winning streak going as he faces Arizona and former Phillie Rodrigo Lopez (5-9, 4.58 ERA).
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-6, Rockies-0
Game Recap:
Roy Halladay pitched eight great innings, and the Phillies actually gave him some run support as they shutout the Rockies in the first game of a four game series.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins went 2-4 with a walk and two runs scored.
Raul Ibanez was 3-5 with three RBI and a run scored.
Ryan Howard was 1-4 with a run scored and his first stolen base of the season.
Jayson Werth went 1-2 with two walks and an RBI.
Ross Gload went 2-2 with a two run home run.
Roy Halladay was excellent, keeping the Rockies from scoring through eight innings. He allowed five hits, walked one and struck out nine. He also went 1-4 at the plate.
What went wrong?
Wilson Valdez went 0-4, and was the only starter not to get a base hit.
The Phillies left 11 men on base.
Game Analysis:
After getting a great outing from Cole Hamels to salvage their last game against St. Louis on Thursday, the Phillies came home and got another great pitching performance. This time, Roy Halladay did the deed, shutting down the Rockies for eight innings and extending the Phillies scoreless innings streak to 20 with a 6-0 win over Colorado.
After getting lit up in his last start against the Cubs, you just knew that Halladay would be back on form last night. He was great from the first pitch, striking out the first batter he faced and then getting out of a little trouble in the first inning. After that, it was smooth sailing for Halladay, who set the Rockies down like he has so many other teams this year. The only difference this time out was that the Phils actually gave him a little run support. With five runs in the fifth, and Halladay pitching the way that he was, you knew that this game was going to be over, it was just a matter of time. While people wanted to see Halladay pick up another complete game, with a six run lead, it just wasn't worth the risk for him to go out there again. He's already thrown 162 innings this year, and while he's always been a work horse, the Phils are going to need him if they want to catch the Braves, or even win the Wild Card. Having him go out with a six run lead in the ninth inning just didn't make that much sense right now. Charlie made the right move when it came to that, and besides, J.C. Romero pitched a quick ninth anyway.
One day after firing Milt Thompson as hitting coach, the Phillies at least showed a little life in their bats last night. They couldn't get any runs across the plate against Aaron Cook early, but they were hitting him well, leaving runners on base in each of the first four innings before finally breaking through in the fifth. Raul Ibanez had possibly his best game of the season last night, and Ross Gload looked very good stepping in for Shane Victorino. Jayson Werth handled center field well, and drove in a run of his own with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Even with the score the way it was, it could have gone even better for the Phils last night. Remember, they left 11 men on base, and seemed to be getting themselves out of innings while Cook was pitching. However, they still managed a win and they gave Roy Halladay run support. I'll take them anyway we can get them right now.
Today, Kyle Kendrick (5-4, 4.82 ERA) makes his return from a brief minor league stint because someone had to pitch. He'll be facing...Ubaldo Jimenez (15-1, 2.38 ERA). Ummm...yeah.
Roy Halladay pitched eight great innings, and the Phillies actually gave him some run support as they shutout the Rockies in the first game of a four game series.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins went 2-4 with a walk and two runs scored.
Raul Ibanez was 3-5 with three RBI and a run scored.
Ryan Howard was 1-4 with a run scored and his first stolen base of the season.
Jayson Werth went 1-2 with two walks and an RBI.
Ross Gload went 2-2 with a two run home run.
Roy Halladay was excellent, keeping the Rockies from scoring through eight innings. He allowed five hits, walked one and struck out nine. He also went 1-4 at the plate.
What went wrong?
Wilson Valdez went 0-4, and was the only starter not to get a base hit.
The Phillies left 11 men on base.
Game Analysis:
After getting a great outing from Cole Hamels to salvage their last game against St. Louis on Thursday, the Phillies came home and got another great pitching performance. This time, Roy Halladay did the deed, shutting down the Rockies for eight innings and extending the Phillies scoreless innings streak to 20 with a 6-0 win over Colorado.
After getting lit up in his last start against the Cubs, you just knew that Halladay would be back on form last night. He was great from the first pitch, striking out the first batter he faced and then getting out of a little trouble in the first inning. After that, it was smooth sailing for Halladay, who set the Rockies down like he has so many other teams this year. The only difference this time out was that the Phils actually gave him a little run support. With five runs in the fifth, and Halladay pitching the way that he was, you knew that this game was going to be over, it was just a matter of time. While people wanted to see Halladay pick up another complete game, with a six run lead, it just wasn't worth the risk for him to go out there again. He's already thrown 162 innings this year, and while he's always been a work horse, the Phils are going to need him if they want to catch the Braves, or even win the Wild Card. Having him go out with a six run lead in the ninth inning just didn't make that much sense right now. Charlie made the right move when it came to that, and besides, J.C. Romero pitched a quick ninth anyway.
One day after firing Milt Thompson as hitting coach, the Phillies at least showed a little life in their bats last night. They couldn't get any runs across the plate against Aaron Cook early, but they were hitting him well, leaving runners on base in each of the first four innings before finally breaking through in the fifth. Raul Ibanez had possibly his best game of the season last night, and Ross Gload looked very good stepping in for Shane Victorino. Jayson Werth handled center field well, and drove in a run of his own with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Even with the score the way it was, it could have gone even better for the Phils last night. Remember, they left 11 men on base, and seemed to be getting themselves out of innings while Cook was pitching. However, they still managed a win and they gave Roy Halladay run support. I'll take them anyway we can get them right now.
Today, Kyle Kendrick (5-4, 4.82 ERA) makes his return from a brief minor league stint because someone had to pitch. He'll be facing...Ubaldo Jimenez (15-1, 2.38 ERA). Ummm...yeah.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-2, Cardinals-0
Game Recap:
After eight one hit innings from Cole Hamels, the Phillies managed to score two runs in the 11th inning to get past St. Louis and salvage a win in their four game series.
What went right?
Placido Polanco was 3-5 with a home run.
Ryan Howard went 3-5.
Jayson Werth was 1-5 with his first hit with a runner in scoring position in almost a month.
Brian Schneider went 2-5.
Cole Hamels pitched possibly his best game of the season, striking out five of the first six Cardinals he faced on his way to eight shut out innings. He allowed just one hit and walked one while striking out seven.
The bullpen was solid as well, not allowing a single hit in the three innings they pitched. Brad Lidge walked a batter, but earned his eighth save of the season.
What went wrong?
Wilson Valdez was...Wilson Valdez. He went 0-3 at the plate.
The Phillies left nine men on base.
Game Analysis:
For most of the day, this game looked like it was going to be another hard luck loss for Cole Hamels. After pitching eight innings of one run baseball, the Phillies couldn't manage to get a single run across the plate against Adam Wainwright and the St. Louis bullpen. Finally, in the 11th inning, Placido Polanco hit his first home run since May 9th, and that would be all that the Phils would need today. Brad Lidge shut the door, and the Phillies managed to salvage a single win out of their four game series against St. Louis.
To be fair, Cole Hamels deserved better today, as he has for most of this season. His 7-7 record is no indication of how well he's been pitching, especially considering his 3.40 ERA for the year now. He continues to look more and more like the 2008 version of Cole Hamels every single time he steps onto the mound, and today was no different. Hamels struck out the first five batters he faced, and even though he would only record two more strikeouts in six innings, he only allowed a single hit and just one walk through eight innings of work. Those are ace numbers on the mound. It doesn't matter how you look at it. Hamels is pitching this season like he should have pitched last year, and it's making a lot of fans happy, even if he isn't getting the run support that he deserves.
Once again, the offense let Hamels down today. Against Adam Wainwright, the Phillies figured to have only a few chances, and they let them slip through their fingers. Jayson Werth struck out with two on in the first inning, Wilson Valdez grounded out with a runner on third in the fourth, and hit into a double play in the seventh inning and Placido Polanco was picked off of first base in the sixth inning. All in all, it was another poor day for the Phils on offense, and it showed in the box score. Sure, the Phillies won eventually, but it shouldn't have been this hard today. The Phillies had 12 hits in 11 innings, but could only score two runs. It was another below average day for the Phillies at the plate, which more than likely was the final straw towards Milt Thompson's firing as hitting coach.
I have nothing bad to say about Milt Thompson, and I never will. I loved watching him play during the 1993 season, and he helped mold some of the younger Phillies into what they are now. However, this year just wasn't working for him, and something had to be done. The Phils aren't going to fire Charlie Manuel, at least not yet, so someone had to take the fall for the poor offensive showing that has been happening for the last few months. Considering Milt Thompson is the hitting coach, that's a good place to look for someone to take the blame. Let's be fair, though. The Phillies just haven't been hitting as a team lately. Once again, Ryan Howard is the only one that's hitting with much consistency, and now he's finally over the .300 mark. Aside from him, it's Placido Polanco and his shortened season, and no one else. Jayson Werth went almost a month without a hit with runners in scoring position, and is hitting below .250 since the start of May. It goes without saying that this team needed a change at some point, and hopefully, getting rid of Thompson is it.
Milt Thompson was a decent ballplayer and a good hitting coach, but the Phillies need a change right now. Their offensive struggles have gone on long enough, and something had to be done. Hopefully now, Greg Gross can get the job done with the team. He's done this once before with the Phils, having been the hitting coach from 2002-2004, and he's been down at Lehigh Valley for a bit now as well. The way that this team is playing, something had to be done, and it's more than likely not the last move that the Phillies are going to make. Over the last three seasons, the fans have gotten spoiled, and now, they want results. They don't just want an average team playing average baseball. They want a team that they know can go out and compete with the Yankees, the Red Sox and the Cardinals. They want to know that their team is going to be in the thick of things each September. This year, it's not looking that way, and someone had to take the fall.
I loved you as a Phillie, Milt, but you had to go.
Tomorrow, the Phillies kick off a four game set at home against the Rockies. Roy Halladay (10-8, 2.40 ERA) goes against Aaron Cook (4-5, 4.56 ERA).
After eight one hit innings from Cole Hamels, the Phillies managed to score two runs in the 11th inning to get past St. Louis and salvage a win in their four game series.
What went right?
Placido Polanco was 3-5 with a home run.
Ryan Howard went 3-5.
Jayson Werth was 1-5 with his first hit with a runner in scoring position in almost a month.
Brian Schneider went 2-5.
Cole Hamels pitched possibly his best game of the season, striking out five of the first six Cardinals he faced on his way to eight shut out innings. He allowed just one hit and walked one while striking out seven.
The bullpen was solid as well, not allowing a single hit in the three innings they pitched. Brad Lidge walked a batter, but earned his eighth save of the season.
What went wrong?
Wilson Valdez was...Wilson Valdez. He went 0-3 at the plate.
The Phillies left nine men on base.
Game Analysis:
For most of the day, this game looked like it was going to be another hard luck loss for Cole Hamels. After pitching eight innings of one run baseball, the Phillies couldn't manage to get a single run across the plate against Adam Wainwright and the St. Louis bullpen. Finally, in the 11th inning, Placido Polanco hit his first home run since May 9th, and that would be all that the Phils would need today. Brad Lidge shut the door, and the Phillies managed to salvage a single win out of their four game series against St. Louis.
To be fair, Cole Hamels deserved better today, as he has for most of this season. His 7-7 record is no indication of how well he's been pitching, especially considering his 3.40 ERA for the year now. He continues to look more and more like the 2008 version of Cole Hamels every single time he steps onto the mound, and today was no different. Hamels struck out the first five batters he faced, and even though he would only record two more strikeouts in six innings, he only allowed a single hit and just one walk through eight innings of work. Those are ace numbers on the mound. It doesn't matter how you look at it. Hamels is pitching this season like he should have pitched last year, and it's making a lot of fans happy, even if he isn't getting the run support that he deserves.
Once again, the offense let Hamels down today. Against Adam Wainwright, the Phillies figured to have only a few chances, and they let them slip through their fingers. Jayson Werth struck out with two on in the first inning, Wilson Valdez grounded out with a runner on third in the fourth, and hit into a double play in the seventh inning and Placido Polanco was picked off of first base in the sixth inning. All in all, it was another poor day for the Phils on offense, and it showed in the box score. Sure, the Phillies won eventually, but it shouldn't have been this hard today. The Phillies had 12 hits in 11 innings, but could only score two runs. It was another below average day for the Phillies at the plate, which more than likely was the final straw towards Milt Thompson's firing as hitting coach.
I have nothing bad to say about Milt Thompson, and I never will. I loved watching him play during the 1993 season, and he helped mold some of the younger Phillies into what they are now. However, this year just wasn't working for him, and something had to be done. The Phils aren't going to fire Charlie Manuel, at least not yet, so someone had to take the fall for the poor offensive showing that has been happening for the last few months. Considering Milt Thompson is the hitting coach, that's a good place to look for someone to take the blame. Let's be fair, though. The Phillies just haven't been hitting as a team lately. Once again, Ryan Howard is the only one that's hitting with much consistency, and now he's finally over the .300 mark. Aside from him, it's Placido Polanco and his shortened season, and no one else. Jayson Werth went almost a month without a hit with runners in scoring position, and is hitting below .250 since the start of May. It goes without saying that this team needed a change at some point, and hopefully, getting rid of Thompson is it.
Milt Thompson was a decent ballplayer and a good hitting coach, but the Phillies need a change right now. Their offensive struggles have gone on long enough, and something had to be done. Hopefully now, Greg Gross can get the job done with the team. He's done this once before with the Phils, having been the hitting coach from 2002-2004, and he's been down at Lehigh Valley for a bit now as well. The way that this team is playing, something had to be done, and it's more than likely not the last move that the Phillies are going to make. Over the last three seasons, the fans have gotten spoiled, and now, they want results. They don't just want an average team playing average baseball. They want a team that they know can go out and compete with the Yankees, the Red Sox and the Cardinals. They want to know that their team is going to be in the thick of things each September. This year, it's not looking that way, and someone had to take the fall.
I loved you as a Phillie, Milt, but you had to go.
Tomorrow, the Phillies kick off a four game set at home against the Rockies. Roy Halladay (10-8, 2.40 ERA) goes against Aaron Cook (4-5, 4.56 ERA).
Phillies Recap: Cardinals-5, Phillies-1
Game Recap:
Joe Blanton stayed in one inning too long against the Cardinals last night, and the offense still couldn't do anything as the Phillies dropped their fourth game in a row.
What went right?
This won't take long.
Ryan Howard was 1-3 with a home run, his 22nd of the season. At least he's still hitting well.
What went wrong?
Placido Polanco was 0-4.
Ben Francisco was 0-4.
Jayson Werth went 0-3.
Joe Blanton pitched seven innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits. He walked one and struck out three.
Game Analysis:
Every single baseball game has a turning point, and some are more important than others. Last night's turning point was in the top of the seventh inning. The Phillies had the bases loaded with two outs and the pitcher's spot coming up to the plate. Rather than remove Joe Blanton for a pinch hitter, Charlie Manuel allowed him to bat. Blanton struck out on three pitches, and it only took one pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning for Manuel to know what kind of a mistake he had made. Matt Holliday drilled a pitch into the left field seats for what would be the game winning home run, sending the Phillies to their fourth straight loss, and putting them seven games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East.
The second half of the season has not gone well for the Phillies so far. Their offense, save for Ryan Howard, is completely dead, and their pitching has failed them now as well. There is no easy answer for what's going on with this team at the moment, because no one really knows. There's talk of a trade for another big starting pitcher, but honestly, what kind of an impact would that make on this season? The Phillies are closer to fourth place now than first place, and are only three games over .500. Unless that pitcher can also hit third in the lineup, there's not enough ammunition on this team to get the job done right now. When Ben Francisco is hitting in the three hole, you know that something isn't right. Well, something isn't right.
Charlie Manuel has got to do a better job actually managing this team. For most of the past three seasons, the team has managed itself, and things have been good. This year, injuries are starting to pile up, and the team needs someone to manage them. Charlie hasn't been able to do that so far this season, and it's been a big problem. Just look at last night. With Joe Blanton coming up to bat in the seventh inning with the bases loaded, why would Charlie leave him in the game? Everyone knows Blanton should only go six innings, since he always gives up runs late. Rather than take that chance, why not pull him and give your team the chance to take the lead? It makes sense, which apparently wasn't enough for Charlie last night. Instead, it was a strikeout and another loss for the Phillies, which is becoming a way too common occurrence these days. Something has to be done to get this team back on track...the only problem is that it might already be too late for this season.
Today, Cole Hamels (7-7, 3.63 ERA) will try to prevent the sweep in St. Louis. He'll be facing Adam Wainwright (14-5, 2.02 ERA).
Joe Blanton stayed in one inning too long against the Cardinals last night, and the offense still couldn't do anything as the Phillies dropped their fourth game in a row.
What went right?
This won't take long.
Ryan Howard was 1-3 with a home run, his 22nd of the season. At least he's still hitting well.
What went wrong?
Placido Polanco was 0-4.
Ben Francisco was 0-4.
Jayson Werth went 0-3.
Joe Blanton pitched seven innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits. He walked one and struck out three.
Game Analysis:
Every single baseball game has a turning point, and some are more important than others. Last night's turning point was in the top of the seventh inning. The Phillies had the bases loaded with two outs and the pitcher's spot coming up to the plate. Rather than remove Joe Blanton for a pinch hitter, Charlie Manuel allowed him to bat. Blanton struck out on three pitches, and it only took one pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning for Manuel to know what kind of a mistake he had made. Matt Holliday drilled a pitch into the left field seats for what would be the game winning home run, sending the Phillies to their fourth straight loss, and putting them seven games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East.
The second half of the season has not gone well for the Phillies so far. Their offense, save for Ryan Howard, is completely dead, and their pitching has failed them now as well. There is no easy answer for what's going on with this team at the moment, because no one really knows. There's talk of a trade for another big starting pitcher, but honestly, what kind of an impact would that make on this season? The Phillies are closer to fourth place now than first place, and are only three games over .500. Unless that pitcher can also hit third in the lineup, there's not enough ammunition on this team to get the job done right now. When Ben Francisco is hitting in the three hole, you know that something isn't right. Well, something isn't right.
Charlie Manuel has got to do a better job actually managing this team. For most of the past three seasons, the team has managed itself, and things have been good. This year, injuries are starting to pile up, and the team needs someone to manage them. Charlie hasn't been able to do that so far this season, and it's been a big problem. Just look at last night. With Joe Blanton coming up to bat in the seventh inning with the bases loaded, why would Charlie leave him in the game? Everyone knows Blanton should only go six innings, since he always gives up runs late. Rather than take that chance, why not pull him and give your team the chance to take the lead? It makes sense, which apparently wasn't enough for Charlie last night. Instead, it was a strikeout and another loss for the Phillies, which is becoming a way too common occurrence these days. Something has to be done to get this team back on track...the only problem is that it might already be too late for this season.
Today, Cole Hamels (7-7, 3.63 ERA) will try to prevent the sweep in St. Louis. He'll be facing Adam Wainwright (14-5, 2.02 ERA).
Monday, July 19, 2010
Phillies Recap: Cardinals-8, Phillies-4
Game Recap:
Despite a three run first inning, Kyle Kendrick allowed seven runs against St. Louis tonight, including three home runs, as the Phillies dropped their first game of a four game series against the Cardinals.
What went right?
Ryan Howard was 2-5 with a double and an RBI.
Jayson Werth was 2-3.
Shane Victorino went 1-4 with two RBI.
What went wrong?
Wilson Valdez continued to start and went 0-4.
Kyle Kendrick somehow walked twice, but didn't have his best stuff on the mound, allowing seven runs in five innings on seven hits. He walked three and struck out two.
The Phillies left nine men on base.
Game Analysis:
When Kyle Kendrick is starting, you can not waste a three run first inning. Yet, that's what the Phillies did tonight, as they dropped the first game of their series to the Cardinals and continued to slip closer to the .500 mark with their overall record.
Tonight, however, the loss can not be pinned on Kendrick alone. As much as I love to pile on Kendrick, he really shouldn't have come out for the fifth inning. He hadn't had his best stuff all night long, and in the fifth, the Cardinals figured him out to the tune of three home runs and five runs total. Why Charlie Manuel left him in the game for all of that is beyond me, because once Kendrick starts to struggle, he should be lifted from the game. It doesn't mean that tonight would have had a better outcome, but it might have been a bit easier to come back from a one or two run hole than the four run deficit that the Phillies had to face after the sixth inning. Kendrick didn't even pitch that badly, but when he made mistakes, the Cardinals were able to hit them, and that's what this St. Louis team can do. When pitchers leave pitches over the plate, they hit them. That happened tonight against Kendrick, but it wasn't all his fault.
After a series where they couldn't get much going, the offense got started tonight, with Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino driving in runs in the first inning. It just wasn't enough against the Cardinals, though. After scoring three runs in the first inning, the Phillies needed to keep the pressure on St. Louis, but they let the Cardinals get back into the game, and that's one of the reasons why they lost tonight. Without being able to put more runs on the St. Louis pitching, the Phillies just couldn't keep up with the Cardinals, and after their five run fifth inning, things were firmly in the pocket of St. Louis. This team can score runs with the best of them, but when they can't do anything, it doesn't matter much. They need to score more runs when they have the opposing team on the ropes, that's just the way it works. That's not even me preaching common sense. Without being able to score more runs, they won't win many games.
As I said before, tonight's loss falls more on Charlie Manuel that it does Kyle Kendrick. Charlie should have pulled Kendrick before the fifth inning, regardless of how he said he felt. Kendrick didn't have his best pitches tonight, and the Cardinals tagged him in the fifth inning. Why he was allowed to stay in for the entire inning is beyond me, but he did, and the Phils paid for it. Now, they're six games behind Atlanta for first place in the National League East, and the way things are going, it's not going to get any easier.
Tomorrow, Jamie Moyer (9-9, 4.88 ERA) tries for his tenth win of the season as he goes against former Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter (10-3, 3.16 ERA). Dammit.
Despite a three run first inning, Kyle Kendrick allowed seven runs against St. Louis tonight, including three home runs, as the Phillies dropped their first game of a four game series against the Cardinals.
What went right?
Ryan Howard was 2-5 with a double and an RBI.
Jayson Werth was 2-3.
Shane Victorino went 1-4 with two RBI.
What went wrong?
Wilson Valdez continued to start and went 0-4.
Kyle Kendrick somehow walked twice, but didn't have his best stuff on the mound, allowing seven runs in five innings on seven hits. He walked three and struck out two.
The Phillies left nine men on base.
Game Analysis:
When Kyle Kendrick is starting, you can not waste a three run first inning. Yet, that's what the Phillies did tonight, as they dropped the first game of their series to the Cardinals and continued to slip closer to the .500 mark with their overall record.
Tonight, however, the loss can not be pinned on Kendrick alone. As much as I love to pile on Kendrick, he really shouldn't have come out for the fifth inning. He hadn't had his best stuff all night long, and in the fifth, the Cardinals figured him out to the tune of three home runs and five runs total. Why Charlie Manuel left him in the game for all of that is beyond me, because once Kendrick starts to struggle, he should be lifted from the game. It doesn't mean that tonight would have had a better outcome, but it might have been a bit easier to come back from a one or two run hole than the four run deficit that the Phillies had to face after the sixth inning. Kendrick didn't even pitch that badly, but when he made mistakes, the Cardinals were able to hit them, and that's what this St. Louis team can do. When pitchers leave pitches over the plate, they hit them. That happened tonight against Kendrick, but it wasn't all his fault.
After a series where they couldn't get much going, the offense got started tonight, with Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino driving in runs in the first inning. It just wasn't enough against the Cardinals, though. After scoring three runs in the first inning, the Phillies needed to keep the pressure on St. Louis, but they let the Cardinals get back into the game, and that's one of the reasons why they lost tonight. Without being able to put more runs on the St. Louis pitching, the Phillies just couldn't keep up with the Cardinals, and after their five run fifth inning, things were firmly in the pocket of St. Louis. This team can score runs with the best of them, but when they can't do anything, it doesn't matter much. They need to score more runs when they have the opposing team on the ropes, that's just the way it works. That's not even me preaching common sense. Without being able to score more runs, they won't win many games.
As I said before, tonight's loss falls more on Charlie Manuel that it does Kyle Kendrick. Charlie should have pulled Kendrick before the fifth inning, regardless of how he said he felt. Kendrick didn't have his best pitches tonight, and the Cardinals tagged him in the fifth inning. Why he was allowed to stay in for the entire inning is beyond me, but he did, and the Phils paid for it. Now, they're six games behind Atlanta for first place in the National League East, and the way things are going, it's not going to get any easier.
Tomorrow, Jamie Moyer (9-9, 4.88 ERA) tries for his tenth win of the season as he goes against former Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter (10-3, 3.16 ERA). Dammit.
We'll miss you, Gagne
It shouldn't have been like this. Not after ten years, and especially not after he came back from his broken foot to help get the Flyers to the Stanley Cup Finals. However, it did happen this way. Today, the Philadelphia Flyers traded Simon Gagne to the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman Matt Walker and a fourth round pick in next year's NHL Draft.
From a player for player perspective, the Flyers lost out on this trade big time. Gagne has been a proven player in this league for years, while Walker is tough defenseman, but contributes little on the offensive side of the puck. In seven NHL seasons, Walker has a total of four goals and 26 assists. That's not exactly the kind of production that the Flyers need to replace Gagne. This move reeks of a salary cap dump, and that's exactly what it is, because earlier in the month, the team made a move that made trading Gagne almost necessary.
On July 9th, the Flyers signed Nikolai Zherdev to a one year, two million dollar contract that put them over the salary cap for next season. With Gagne's contract still on the books, the Flyers had to make room for Zherdev, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2003 Draft. Zherdev has talent, but he's never shown the maturity and leadership that Gagne has shown on the ice in his career. It's going to take a lot for Flyers fans to accept him over Gagne, you can believe that much. Considering Zherdev has already played for two NHL teams, and one KHL team in Russia, you have to wonder how much his heart is into the game. When you look at Gagne, you don't have to question his heart. You know what you're getting the second he steps onto the ice.
Honestly, this doesn't look like a great move for the Flyers right now. Gagne was one of the biggest reasons that they made it to their first Stanley Cup Final since 1997, and Zherdev has shown little to prove that he can replace him in every way, shape and form. Gagne was a leader on the ice as well as off it, and his toughness is going to go down in Flyers history. I have no idea what Paul Holmgren was thinking with this move, save for it being to save salary cap space, since Matt Walker can't hold Gagne's jockstrap out on the ice. To see Simon Gagne go, in this manner, really hurts. He deserved better. He really did. Now, the Flyers are left without one of their leaders and with expectations that they can make it back to where they were last season. This upcoming season isn't going to be that fun, but that's just how I feel about it right now.
I wish you the best of luck, Gagne. It's rough to see you leave, especially in a trade like this.
CSNPhilly: Gagne traded to Lightning
From a player for player perspective, the Flyers lost out on this trade big time. Gagne has been a proven player in this league for years, while Walker is tough defenseman, but contributes little on the offensive side of the puck. In seven NHL seasons, Walker has a total of four goals and 26 assists. That's not exactly the kind of production that the Flyers need to replace Gagne. This move reeks of a salary cap dump, and that's exactly what it is, because earlier in the month, the team made a move that made trading Gagne almost necessary.
On July 9th, the Flyers signed Nikolai Zherdev to a one year, two million dollar contract that put them over the salary cap for next season. With Gagne's contract still on the books, the Flyers had to make room for Zherdev, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2003 Draft. Zherdev has talent, but he's never shown the maturity and leadership that Gagne has shown on the ice in his career. It's going to take a lot for Flyers fans to accept him over Gagne, you can believe that much. Considering Zherdev has already played for two NHL teams, and one KHL team in Russia, you have to wonder how much his heart is into the game. When you look at Gagne, you don't have to question his heart. You know what you're getting the second he steps onto the ice.
Honestly, this doesn't look like a great move for the Flyers right now. Gagne was one of the biggest reasons that they made it to their first Stanley Cup Final since 1997, and Zherdev has shown little to prove that he can replace him in every way, shape and form. Gagne was a leader on the ice as well as off it, and his toughness is going to go down in Flyers history. I have no idea what Paul Holmgren was thinking with this move, save for it being to save salary cap space, since Matt Walker can't hold Gagne's jockstrap out on the ice. To see Simon Gagne go, in this manner, really hurts. He deserved better. He really did. Now, the Flyers are left without one of their leaders and with expectations that they can make it back to where they were last season. This upcoming season isn't going to be that fun, but that's just how I feel about it right now.
I wish you the best of luck, Gagne. It's rough to see you leave, especially in a trade like this.
CSNPhilly: Gagne traded to Lightning
Phillies Recap: Cubs-11, Phillies-6
Game Recap:
Roy Halladay was pounded for six runs in six innings, as the Cubs beat the Phillies for the third time in four games.
What went right?
Placido Polanco was 2-4 with an RBI.
Ryan Howard went 1-4 with a home run and two RBI.
Ben Francisco went 2-5 with a solo home run.
What went wrong?
Jayson Werth was 0-3 with two strikeouts.
Roy Halladay had one of his worst games as a Phillie, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits in six innings of work. He didn't walk a batter and struck out three.
The bullpen didn't fare much better, allowing five runs in just two innings. J.C. Romero gave up two runs without recording an out, and David Hearndon allowed three more.
Game Analysis:
This was the type of game the Phillies got Roy Halladay for. After dropping the first two games of their series against the Cubs, the Phils managed to steal one on Saturday, setting up a great chance to split the series with Chicago and salvage their start to the second half of the season. Instead, what they got was a poor pitching performance from Halladay, as the Cubs took their third win of the series and pushed the Phillies back to 5.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves.
It certainly wasn't Halladay's night out there last night. The Cubs jumped on him early and often, as they scored four times in the second inning to put the Phillies in a hole early. Alfonso Soriano's two run home run in the sixth inning did Halladay in, and then the bullpen did even worse. J.C. Romero and David Hearndon allowed five runs in the seventh inning to put the game out of reach. It was a bad night for the pitching staff in general, and it seemed like a fitting end to a terrible series for the Phillies.
For the fourth straight game, the offense got very little going until it was too late. By the time the Phillies hit three home runs in two innings, they were down 11-4, and it was way too late to be attempting a comeback. Ryan Howard hit his fourth home run of the series, showing that he's just getting hotter as the season goes on, but that doesn't matter much right now when hardly anyone else on the team is doing anything at the plate. When you have to bring out Wilson Valdez every single day to start at second base, that is something that is going to take the sting out of your offense right there. However, the Phillies still have Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez. The only problem is that only Howard is hitting worth a damn right now. It's been said several times during this series, but if this team can't get their act together at the plate, it doesn't matter how well anyone is pitching for them. They'll still lose the game.
Right now, things are not going well for the Phils, and that's putting it nicely. Their best pitcher, who was brought in to avoid losing stretches like this one got tagged last night, their bullpen was even worse and their offense can't seem to get anything going until the late innings right now. That's a mixture that's only going to lead to more losses and a very angry fan base. The Phillie fans have gotten spoiled over the last three years. They want to keep winning now, and with this team playing the way that they are, things could get ugly once the Phils get back to Citizens Bank Park.
Tonight, Kyle Kendrick (5-3, 4.44 ERA) starts for the Phillies against the St. Louis Cardinals, who are starting Blake Hawksworth (3-5, 4.73 ERA).
Roy Halladay was pounded for six runs in six innings, as the Cubs beat the Phillies for the third time in four games.
What went right?
Placido Polanco was 2-4 with an RBI.
Ryan Howard went 1-4 with a home run and two RBI.
Ben Francisco went 2-5 with a solo home run.
What went wrong?
Jayson Werth was 0-3 with two strikeouts.
Roy Halladay had one of his worst games as a Phillie, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits in six innings of work. He didn't walk a batter and struck out three.
The bullpen didn't fare much better, allowing five runs in just two innings. J.C. Romero gave up two runs without recording an out, and David Hearndon allowed three more.
Game Analysis:
This was the type of game the Phillies got Roy Halladay for. After dropping the first two games of their series against the Cubs, the Phils managed to steal one on Saturday, setting up a great chance to split the series with Chicago and salvage their start to the second half of the season. Instead, what they got was a poor pitching performance from Halladay, as the Cubs took their third win of the series and pushed the Phillies back to 5.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves.
It certainly wasn't Halladay's night out there last night. The Cubs jumped on him early and often, as they scored four times in the second inning to put the Phillies in a hole early. Alfonso Soriano's two run home run in the sixth inning did Halladay in, and then the bullpen did even worse. J.C. Romero and David Hearndon allowed five runs in the seventh inning to put the game out of reach. It was a bad night for the pitching staff in general, and it seemed like a fitting end to a terrible series for the Phillies.
For the fourth straight game, the offense got very little going until it was too late. By the time the Phillies hit three home runs in two innings, they were down 11-4, and it was way too late to be attempting a comeback. Ryan Howard hit his fourth home run of the series, showing that he's just getting hotter as the season goes on, but that doesn't matter much right now when hardly anyone else on the team is doing anything at the plate. When you have to bring out Wilson Valdez every single day to start at second base, that is something that is going to take the sting out of your offense right there. However, the Phillies still have Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez. The only problem is that only Howard is hitting worth a damn right now. It's been said several times during this series, but if this team can't get their act together at the plate, it doesn't matter how well anyone is pitching for them. They'll still lose the game.
Right now, things are not going well for the Phils, and that's putting it nicely. Their best pitcher, who was brought in to avoid losing stretches like this one got tagged last night, their bullpen was even worse and their offense can't seem to get anything going until the late innings right now. That's a mixture that's only going to lead to more losses and a very angry fan base. The Phillie fans have gotten spoiled over the last three years. They want to keep winning now, and with this team playing the way that they are, things could get ugly once the Phils get back to Citizens Bank Park.
Tonight, Kyle Kendrick (5-3, 4.44 ERA) starts for the Phillies against the St. Louis Cardinals, who are starting Blake Hawksworth (3-5, 4.73 ERA).
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Phillie of the Week: July 11-17
It was a short week this time out, as the Phillies only played four games, thanks to the All Star Break. In those four games, the Phils went 2-2, but did enough to pull back into second place in the National League East. There was one player that stood head and shoulders above the rest, as his return from Anaheim and the All Star Game has been nothing but excellent so far. This week's Phillie of the Week is:
Ryan Howard
The All Star first baseman started the second half of the season like a man possessed. This past week, Howard hit .385 with three home runs and six RBI. If he can continue that pace, and the rest of this team can get their act together, the Phillies still have a shot at a fourth straight National League East crown.
Ryan Howard
The All Star first baseman started the second half of the season like a man possessed. This past week, Howard hit .385 with three home runs and six RBI. If he can continue that pace, and the rest of this team can get their act together, the Phillies still have a shot at a fourth straight National League East crown.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-4, Cubs-1
Game Recap:
Thanks to five walks in the ninth inning from Carlos Marmol, the Phillies managed a win against the Cubs in Chicago this afternoon.
What went right?
Placido Polanco went 1-5, but it was a big one, as he drove in Brian Schneider with the first run of the ninth inning.
Jayson Werth went 2-4 with an RBI on a bases loaded walk.
Raul Ibanez was 2-4 with an RBI.
Cole Hamels looked solid again, pitching seven innings and allowing just one run on eight hits. He walked two and struck out six.
Brad Lidge worked around a walk to Kosuke Fukudome in the bottom of the ninth for his seventh save of the season.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-4 with a walk, though he did score a run in the ninth inning.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-2 before being lifted from the game.
Game Analysis:
We can all thank Carlos Marmol for today's win. After the Phils decided to phone it in for eight innings against the Cubs for the third straight game, Marmol came in to close things out and instead had one of the worst games of the year. After recording two outs and pitching around two walks, Marmol allowed a single to Placido Polanco that tied the game, then walked three straight batters, including one intentionally. After the dust had settled, the Phillies had scored four times, Marmol was booed off the mound, and Brad Lidge had closed the door for the first win for the Phils after the All Star Break.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves after today's win, though. It was far from pretty. For most of the day, it looked like it would be another hard luck loss for Cole Hamels, and after the seventh inning, it almost was. Ryan Theriot put down a perfect safety squeeze that allowed Starlin Castro to score and gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Considering how the Phillies have been playing so far in this series, a 1-0 lead seemed like it could have been too much to handle. That's the biggest problem with the way this team is still playing. The offense just can't get it together right now. Ryan Howard has three home runs in three games, but other than him, no one is producing when they need to. Jimmy Rollins is hitting .233, Shane Victorino isn't much better, and neither is Raul Ibanez. Only Placido Polanco is hitting over .300, and did the Phillies need him in the ninth inning today. Without Polacno in there, this probably would have gone down as another loss that Cole Hamels didn't deserve.
There's no more thinking about how well Cole Hamels is pitching this year. Other than 2007 and 2008, Hamels hasn't looked this good throughout an entire season up to this point. Despite his 7-7 record, Hamels has a 3.63 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 119 innings of work. If he could get some run support, then his record would be much, much better than it is at the moment. He's still giving up a lot of home runs, but the fact of the matter is that he seems to never get run support when he's out on the mound this year. The Phillies need to score some runs when he's pitching, because they're wasting what could have been the best season so far of his career. It's not his fault that the offense isn't scoring runs. His job is to go out there and stop the other team from putting up big innings, and he's done that for the most part this year. If he can keep it up, hopefully the offense can eventually come around and get things together, but at this point, no one knows how the rest of this season is going to go.
I can't cut corners today. In this game, the Phillies got damn lucky. Carlos Marmol has control issues, but before today's game, he had only walked three batters in the entire month of July, and had started to look like the closer the Cubs had been hoping for. In one inning, the Phillies may have reset that image, and they stole a win from Chicago at the same time. It sure as hell wasn't pretty today, and it's not one to write home about, but it's a win. Right now, that's what this team needs, so I'll gladly take it.
Tomorrow night, the Phillies close out their four game series with the Cubs. Roy Halladay (10-7, 2.19 ERA) will make his first start of the second half against Tom Gorzelanny (4-5, 3.16 ERA).
Thanks to five walks in the ninth inning from Carlos Marmol, the Phillies managed a win against the Cubs in Chicago this afternoon.
What went right?
Placido Polanco went 1-5, but it was a big one, as he drove in Brian Schneider with the first run of the ninth inning.
Jayson Werth went 2-4 with an RBI on a bases loaded walk.
Raul Ibanez was 2-4 with an RBI.
Cole Hamels looked solid again, pitching seven innings and allowing just one run on eight hits. He walked two and struck out six.
Brad Lidge worked around a walk to Kosuke Fukudome in the bottom of the ninth for his seventh save of the season.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-4 with a walk, though he did score a run in the ninth inning.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-2 before being lifted from the game.
Game Analysis:
We can all thank Carlos Marmol for today's win. After the Phils decided to phone it in for eight innings against the Cubs for the third straight game, Marmol came in to close things out and instead had one of the worst games of the year. After recording two outs and pitching around two walks, Marmol allowed a single to Placido Polanco that tied the game, then walked three straight batters, including one intentionally. After the dust had settled, the Phillies had scored four times, Marmol was booed off the mound, and Brad Lidge had closed the door for the first win for the Phils after the All Star Break.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves after today's win, though. It was far from pretty. For most of the day, it looked like it would be another hard luck loss for Cole Hamels, and after the seventh inning, it almost was. Ryan Theriot put down a perfect safety squeeze that allowed Starlin Castro to score and gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Considering how the Phillies have been playing so far in this series, a 1-0 lead seemed like it could have been too much to handle. That's the biggest problem with the way this team is still playing. The offense just can't get it together right now. Ryan Howard has three home runs in three games, but other than him, no one is producing when they need to. Jimmy Rollins is hitting .233, Shane Victorino isn't much better, and neither is Raul Ibanez. Only Placido Polanco is hitting over .300, and did the Phillies need him in the ninth inning today. Without Polacno in there, this probably would have gone down as another loss that Cole Hamels didn't deserve.
There's no more thinking about how well Cole Hamels is pitching this year. Other than 2007 and 2008, Hamels hasn't looked this good throughout an entire season up to this point. Despite his 7-7 record, Hamels has a 3.63 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 119 innings of work. If he could get some run support, then his record would be much, much better than it is at the moment. He's still giving up a lot of home runs, but the fact of the matter is that he seems to never get run support when he's out on the mound this year. The Phillies need to score some runs when he's pitching, because they're wasting what could have been the best season so far of his career. It's not his fault that the offense isn't scoring runs. His job is to go out there and stop the other team from putting up big innings, and he's done that for the most part this year. If he can keep it up, hopefully the offense can eventually come around and get things together, but at this point, no one knows how the rest of this season is going to go.
I can't cut corners today. In this game, the Phillies got damn lucky. Carlos Marmol has control issues, but before today's game, he had only walked three batters in the entire month of July, and had started to look like the closer the Cubs had been hoping for. In one inning, the Phillies may have reset that image, and they stole a win from Chicago at the same time. It sure as hell wasn't pretty today, and it's not one to write home about, but it's a win. Right now, that's what this team needs, so I'll gladly take it.
Tomorrow night, the Phillies close out their four game series with the Cubs. Roy Halladay (10-7, 2.19 ERA) will make his first start of the second half against Tom Gorzelanny (4-5, 3.16 ERA).
Friday, July 16, 2010
Phillies Recap: Cubs-12, Phillies-6
Game Recap:
Jamie Moyer only pitched three innings, allowing six runs, and Jose Contreras wasn't much better, giving up five, as the Phillies dropped their first game back from the All Star Break to Chicago.
What went right?
Ryan Howard went 3-5 with two home runs and four RBI.
Shane Victorino was 2-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
Raul Ibanez went 2-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.
What went wrong?
Other than those three, the only Phillies that had base hits were Greg Dobbs and Wilson Valdez.
Jamie Moyer had his second poor start of the season, lasting only three innings while allowing six runs on five hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out one.
Jose Contreras was even worse than Moyer. He allowed five runs on five hits in two-thirds of an inning.
Danys Baez continued to exist, giving up a run on four hits in an inning's worth of work.
Game Analysis:
That was not the effort that Phillies fans were hoping for in the first game after the All Star Break. Coming off of a four game sweep of the first place Cincinnati Reds, the Phils were hopeful that their momentum would carry over into this series with the Cubs.
It doesn't look like it did, though. Jamie Moyer had his second worst outing of the year last night, only going three innings while allowing six runs. He didn't have his best location last night, and when someone like Moyer can't place his pitches right where he needs to, then he's going to get hit. That's what happened in the three innings that he pitched, as he allowed a run or more in each one, including two home runs. These are the kind of outings that Moyer needs to avoid, especially now in the second half of the season. He did well in the first half, but if this is any indication of how he's going to be pitching from here on out, then it's not a good sign. It's nothing to worry about, yet, but it could become something serious if it does continue.
Then, there's the offense. Aside from two Ryan Howard two run home runs, the offense was asleep at the wheel again last night. Ryan Dempster struck out nine in almost seven innings of work, and the Phillies left eight men on base. The Cubs may be having a down season, but you still have to score runs against them if you want to win. They still have a solid offense, and it showed last night. The Phils, on the other hand, could get nothing going until the ninth inning, and then it was too little, too late. Four runs in the ninth is nice, but all it did last night was make the score look closer than it really was. Even in the Cincinnati series, the Phillies struggled to score runs in three of the four games, and that carried over into last night as well. It can't all just be Chase Utley and Placido Polanco being out of the lineup. Ryan Howard is doing his part, hitting almost .300 with 19 home runs now. It's up to everyone else in the lineup to get their act together and find a way to piece this offense back to where it's been the past three seasons.
This wasn't the best way to start the second half of the season, but it's not time to panic yet. There's still a lot of baseball to be played.
Today, Joe Blanton (3-5, 6.41 ERA) goes for the Phillies, while Ted Lilly (3-8, 4.08 ERA) pitches for the Cubs.
Jamie Moyer only pitched three innings, allowing six runs, and Jose Contreras wasn't much better, giving up five, as the Phillies dropped their first game back from the All Star Break to Chicago.
What went right?
Ryan Howard went 3-5 with two home runs and four RBI.
Shane Victorino was 2-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
Raul Ibanez went 2-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.
What went wrong?
Other than those three, the only Phillies that had base hits were Greg Dobbs and Wilson Valdez.
Jamie Moyer had his second poor start of the season, lasting only three innings while allowing six runs on five hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out one.
Jose Contreras was even worse than Moyer. He allowed five runs on five hits in two-thirds of an inning.
Danys Baez continued to exist, giving up a run on four hits in an inning's worth of work.
Game Analysis:
That was not the effort that Phillies fans were hoping for in the first game after the All Star Break. Coming off of a four game sweep of the first place Cincinnati Reds, the Phils were hopeful that their momentum would carry over into this series with the Cubs.
It doesn't look like it did, though. Jamie Moyer had his second worst outing of the year last night, only going three innings while allowing six runs. He didn't have his best location last night, and when someone like Moyer can't place his pitches right where he needs to, then he's going to get hit. That's what happened in the three innings that he pitched, as he allowed a run or more in each one, including two home runs. These are the kind of outings that Moyer needs to avoid, especially now in the second half of the season. He did well in the first half, but if this is any indication of how he's going to be pitching from here on out, then it's not a good sign. It's nothing to worry about, yet, but it could become something serious if it does continue.
Then, there's the offense. Aside from two Ryan Howard two run home runs, the offense was asleep at the wheel again last night. Ryan Dempster struck out nine in almost seven innings of work, and the Phillies left eight men on base. The Cubs may be having a down season, but you still have to score runs against them if you want to win. They still have a solid offense, and it showed last night. The Phils, on the other hand, could get nothing going until the ninth inning, and then it was too little, too late. Four runs in the ninth is nice, but all it did last night was make the score look closer than it really was. Even in the Cincinnati series, the Phillies struggled to score runs in three of the four games, and that carried over into last night as well. It can't all just be Chase Utley and Placido Polanco being out of the lineup. Ryan Howard is doing his part, hitting almost .300 with 19 home runs now. It's up to everyone else in the lineup to get their act together and find a way to piece this offense back to where it's been the past three seasons.
This wasn't the best way to start the second half of the season, but it's not time to panic yet. There's still a lot of baseball to be played.
Today, Joe Blanton (3-5, 6.41 ERA) goes for the Phillies, while Ted Lilly (3-8, 4.08 ERA) pitches for the Cubs.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Phillies Double Dip Recap: 1-0 shutouts for all!
The last two games between the Phillies and Reds may not have produced many runs, but that didn't mean that they were short on drama. Over the last two days, the Phillies managed not only to hold the Reds without a single run, but did so while staring down a perfect game attempt and getting great pitching efforts from both of their starters to complete a four game sweep over Cincinnati.
Let's start with Saturday night. Travis Wood took the roughest, but best approach to beating Roy Halladay when he's throwing a shutout: be perfect. For eight innings, Wood set the Phillies down in order, striking out eight and making the offense look horribly off balance. The only problem was that Halladay was doing almost the exact same thing to the Reds. Through nine innings of work, Halladay allowed only five hits and no runs while striking out nine and walking one. By the time the bottom of the ninth did come around, fans were just hoping that the Phillies would get a hit or a man on base. Luckily, Carlos Ruiz was up to the task there, driving a lead-off double into the left field gap to start the ninth inning and break up the perfect game. Though the Phils wouldn't score in the ninth, the stage was set for extra innings.
Brad Lidge had a shaky outing, getting himself into trouble by loading the bases in the top of the 10th, only to then pitch himself out of trouble by getting Brandon Phillips to fly out to Shane Victorino to end the inning. Jose Contreras pitched well in the top of the 11th, and that set up the bottom of the inning. After Cody Ransom struck out, Carlos Ruiz struck again. In his first game back from the disabled list, Ruiz nailed his second double of the game, putting the winning run in scoring position. Jimmy Rollins would step to the plate, and this time, he got the job done, lining a single into right field that scored Ruiz and gave the Phillies their third straight extra inning walk-off win against the Reds in as many games. Roy Halladay pitched great, Travis Wood was almost perfect, but it came down to a battle of experience against youth, and this time, the Phillies had enough experience to get the job done when they needed to.
After missing out on perfection by three outs the night before, the Reds came into today's game against the Phillies hoping for a little payback. What they got instead was a great performance from Cole Hamels that finished off the four game sweep by the Phillies with a second straight 1-0 shutout. Hamels pitched well, even though he recorded just three strikeouts. He only gave up six hits, and got help with double plays in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings before leaving the game with two outs in the top of the eight. It was another good outing from Hamels, who is looking more and more like his 2008 form with every single start.
It's amazing to see how well Hamels is pitching right now, to be honest with you. There were a few chances in today's game for him to come undone, but he didn't. In the top of the fourth inning, the Reds had the bases loaded with no one out. Instead of folding like he may have done last season, Hamels got a ground ball out, and then forced a double play. Just like that, the inning was over without a run crossing the plate. It was exactly what he needed to do, and he got it done. There's something about the way that he's been pitching for most of this year, and it's a good thing. Rather than get overwhelmed at situations like he's done before, Hamels is taking them in stride and is pitching better and better with each start. With today's effort, his ERA is a solid 3.78, good for second in the ranks of the starters, behind only Roy Halladay. This is the kind of effort that Hamels has been putting out for most of the season, but he hasn't been getting the run support to back him up. Today, he got just enough, and it worked like a charm.
This sweep against the Reds going into the All Star break was the best thing that could have happened to the Phillies. Going into this series, the Phils had dropped two straight against the Atlanta Braves, and three of four against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Now, they won three straight extra inning games for the first time in team history, and pitched back to back 1-0 shutouts for the first time since 1913. Those are good things to keep in mind as the Phillies take a break before starting the second half of the season. They've had injury after injury, and bad breaks along the way, but this team is still hanging in there, and they're starting to look a bit like the teams from the last three seasons. Throw in the six run comeback from Friday night, and all of a sudden, this team has some swagger in their step again.
It's still too early to say that this series is going to be a launch pad for the rest of the year, but if you're looking back on this in September and smiling, it's certainly a good place to start your search.
The Phillies are off until Thursday, thanks to the All Star break. Roy Halladay, Ryan Howard and the Phils coaching staff will be out in Anaheim, getting ready for that matchup, while the rest of the Phillies will be taking a few days off before getting ready for the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.
Let's start with Saturday night. Travis Wood took the roughest, but best approach to beating Roy Halladay when he's throwing a shutout: be perfect. For eight innings, Wood set the Phillies down in order, striking out eight and making the offense look horribly off balance. The only problem was that Halladay was doing almost the exact same thing to the Reds. Through nine innings of work, Halladay allowed only five hits and no runs while striking out nine and walking one. By the time the bottom of the ninth did come around, fans were just hoping that the Phillies would get a hit or a man on base. Luckily, Carlos Ruiz was up to the task there, driving a lead-off double into the left field gap to start the ninth inning and break up the perfect game. Though the Phils wouldn't score in the ninth, the stage was set for extra innings.
Brad Lidge had a shaky outing, getting himself into trouble by loading the bases in the top of the 10th, only to then pitch himself out of trouble by getting Brandon Phillips to fly out to Shane Victorino to end the inning. Jose Contreras pitched well in the top of the 11th, and that set up the bottom of the inning. After Cody Ransom struck out, Carlos Ruiz struck again. In his first game back from the disabled list, Ruiz nailed his second double of the game, putting the winning run in scoring position. Jimmy Rollins would step to the plate, and this time, he got the job done, lining a single into right field that scored Ruiz and gave the Phillies their third straight extra inning walk-off win against the Reds in as many games. Roy Halladay pitched great, Travis Wood was almost perfect, but it came down to a battle of experience against youth, and this time, the Phillies had enough experience to get the job done when they needed to.
After missing out on perfection by three outs the night before, the Reds came into today's game against the Phillies hoping for a little payback. What they got instead was a great performance from Cole Hamels that finished off the four game sweep by the Phillies with a second straight 1-0 shutout. Hamels pitched well, even though he recorded just three strikeouts. He only gave up six hits, and got help with double plays in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings before leaving the game with two outs in the top of the eight. It was another good outing from Hamels, who is looking more and more like his 2008 form with every single start.
It's amazing to see how well Hamels is pitching right now, to be honest with you. There were a few chances in today's game for him to come undone, but he didn't. In the top of the fourth inning, the Reds had the bases loaded with no one out. Instead of folding like he may have done last season, Hamels got a ground ball out, and then forced a double play. Just like that, the inning was over without a run crossing the plate. It was exactly what he needed to do, and he got it done. There's something about the way that he's been pitching for most of this year, and it's a good thing. Rather than get overwhelmed at situations like he's done before, Hamels is taking them in stride and is pitching better and better with each start. With today's effort, his ERA is a solid 3.78, good for second in the ranks of the starters, behind only Roy Halladay. This is the kind of effort that Hamels has been putting out for most of the season, but he hasn't been getting the run support to back him up. Today, he got just enough, and it worked like a charm.
This sweep against the Reds going into the All Star break was the best thing that could have happened to the Phillies. Going into this series, the Phils had dropped two straight against the Atlanta Braves, and three of four against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Now, they won three straight extra inning games for the first time in team history, and pitched back to back 1-0 shutouts for the first time since 1913. Those are good things to keep in mind as the Phillies take a break before starting the second half of the season. They've had injury after injury, and bad breaks along the way, but this team is still hanging in there, and they're starting to look a bit like the teams from the last three seasons. Throw in the six run comeback from Friday night, and all of a sudden, this team has some swagger in their step again.
It's still too early to say that this series is going to be a launch pad for the rest of the year, but if you're looking back on this in September and smiling, it's certainly a good place to start your search.
The Phillies are off until Thursday, thanks to the All Star break. Roy Halladay, Ryan Howard and the Phils coaching staff will be out in Anaheim, getting ready for that matchup, while the rest of the Phillies will be taking a few days off before getting ready for the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.
Phillie of the Week: July 4-10
The Phillies turned a bad start to this past week into a good finish by winning the first three games of their series against the Cincinnati Reds. This past week, the rosters for the 2010 All Star Game were released, and while there have been some great showings by the Phils, this honor is going to be shared by three players. This week's Phillies of the Week are:
Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Roy Halladay: The All Stars
While Chase Utley will not be playing in the All Star Game, he was elected as a starter once again, while Ryan Howard and Roy Halladay were chosen by the players to make the team. All three are deserved, with Utley hitting .277 with 11 home runs and 37 RBI, Howard hitting .294 with 17 home runs and a team leading 65 RBI, and Halladay picking up a 10-7 record with an amazing 2.19 ERA and 128 strikeouts compared to just 19 walks.
It's been an interesting season so far, but it's only halfway over, and if the last few games are any indication, then the Phillies should be in for a solid second half.
Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Roy Halladay: The All Stars
While Chase Utley will not be playing in the All Star Game, he was elected as a starter once again, while Ryan Howard and Roy Halladay were chosen by the players to make the team. All three are deserved, with Utley hitting .277 with 11 home runs and 37 RBI, Howard hitting .294 with 17 home runs and a team leading 65 RBI, and Halladay picking up a 10-7 record with an amazing 2.19 ERA and 128 strikeouts compared to just 19 walks.
It's been an interesting season so far, but it's only halfway over, and if the last few games are any indication, then the Phillies should be in for a solid second half.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-9, Reds-7
Game Recap:
Down by six runs going into the bottom of the ninth, the Phillies rallied to tie the game, and then won it on Ryan Howard's walk off home run in the tenth inning.
What went right?
Raul Ibanez was 3-5 with two runs scored.
Ryan Howard had the big night, going 3-4 with three RBI, two runs scored and the game winning home run in the tenth inning.
Jayson Werth was 2-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Greg Dobbs was 1-4, but it was a big one, as he hit a three run home run in the ninth inning.
Cody Ransom made his fourth appearance as a Phillie count, as he hit a two run home run with two outs in the ninth inning that tied the game.
The bullpen was solid, allowing just a single run in 4.2 innings of work.
What went wrong?
Brian Schneider was 0-4.
Juan Casto went 0-3.
Joe Blanton was just not good, allowing six runs (five earned) on 12 hits in 5.1 innings. He walked two and stuck out seven.
Game Analysis:
Well, that looked like the Phillies from the last three years last night. Down to three outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Phils made the comeback of the year for their team, scoring six runs in the ninth inning to tie the game, and then Ryan Howard launched a home run into the left field seats to win it in the tenth. This was the kind of game that had been missing from this team so far this year, and tonight, they managed to find it again.
I'm not going to cut corners here tonight. Even against rookie Mike Leake, for eight innings, this offense looked horrible. The Phillies managed just a single run through eight innings before their comeback, and it took a Greg Dobbs three run home run to get Leake out of the game. Before that moment, the Phillies had allowed Leake to control the game, thanks to their aggressive nature at the plate. It's not always a bad thing to swing at the first pitch, but when you're doing it for most of the night, then you have an issue that needs to be taken care of. Tonight, the Phillies swung more often than a couple at a party in the 1970s, and Leake was able to take advantage. The rookie made it into the ninth inning, and would have likely had the complete game had the Phils not managed a great comeback. Until the home runs by Dobbs and Ransom, the Phillies were looking at a bad loss, and those facts don't change, but they do make this look more like the last few years.
Since 2007, the Phillies have made a living off of bad starting pitching showings that they could come back from. Tonight was no exception, as Joe Blanton couldn't make it out of the sixth inning. Even though he struck out seven batters, he allowed 12 hits and just looked bad tonight against the Reds. This makes two starts in a row where Blanton has allowed five runs or more, and if and when J.A. Happ comes back into the rotation, at this point, it should be Blanton that loses his spot, not Kyle Kendrick. At least Kendrick has shown that he can pitch well this year. Joe Blanton has been one of the worst pitchers in the National League so far this year, and isn't getting much better as of yet. For tonight, at least, the bullpen was able to bail Blanton out. The four man combination allowed a total of three hits and one run during 4.2 innings, and Ryan Madson picked up the win tonight by pitching a two strikeout, no hit performance in the tenth inning. That's what this team needs right now. When the starters can't pick things up, the bullpen has got to get the job done, and they did that tonight.
It certainly wasn't a pretty win tonight, but the Phillies might be starting to send a message out once again. For the second night in a row, they've won in extra innings, and tonight, they came back from six runs down in the bottom of the ninth inning. They looked more like the 2007 and 2008 Phils tonight, and that's a good thing. Over the last two games, they've managed to walk off against the National League Central Leaders and they've looked more and more like the teams from the last three years in the process. Tonight might not be a stepping point in the long run, but it certainly is going to set a point for the time being. Coming back from six runs down in the bottom of the ninth inning is not something that teams forget easily. Hopefully, this team can carry a bit of momentum into the All Star Break, and maybe, just maybe, they can start to gain ground on the Braves and Mets.
Tomorrow, Roy Halladay (10-7, 2.33 ERA) pitches for his 11th win of the season, as he faces off against Travis Wood (0-0, 3.86 ERA).
Down by six runs going into the bottom of the ninth, the Phillies rallied to tie the game, and then won it on Ryan Howard's walk off home run in the tenth inning.
What went right?
Raul Ibanez was 3-5 with two runs scored.
Ryan Howard had the big night, going 3-4 with three RBI, two runs scored and the game winning home run in the tenth inning.
Jayson Werth was 2-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Greg Dobbs was 1-4, but it was a big one, as he hit a three run home run in the ninth inning.
Cody Ransom made his fourth appearance as a Phillie count, as he hit a two run home run with two outs in the ninth inning that tied the game.
The bullpen was solid, allowing just a single run in 4.2 innings of work.
What went wrong?
Brian Schneider was 0-4.
Juan Casto went 0-3.
Joe Blanton was just not good, allowing six runs (five earned) on 12 hits in 5.1 innings. He walked two and stuck out seven.
Game Analysis:
Well, that looked like the Phillies from the last three years last night. Down to three outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Phils made the comeback of the year for their team, scoring six runs in the ninth inning to tie the game, and then Ryan Howard launched a home run into the left field seats to win it in the tenth. This was the kind of game that had been missing from this team so far this year, and tonight, they managed to find it again.
I'm not going to cut corners here tonight. Even against rookie Mike Leake, for eight innings, this offense looked horrible. The Phillies managed just a single run through eight innings before their comeback, and it took a Greg Dobbs three run home run to get Leake out of the game. Before that moment, the Phillies had allowed Leake to control the game, thanks to their aggressive nature at the plate. It's not always a bad thing to swing at the first pitch, but when you're doing it for most of the night, then you have an issue that needs to be taken care of. Tonight, the Phillies swung more often than a couple at a party in the 1970s, and Leake was able to take advantage. The rookie made it into the ninth inning, and would have likely had the complete game had the Phils not managed a great comeback. Until the home runs by Dobbs and Ransom, the Phillies were looking at a bad loss, and those facts don't change, but they do make this look more like the last few years.
Since 2007, the Phillies have made a living off of bad starting pitching showings that they could come back from. Tonight was no exception, as Joe Blanton couldn't make it out of the sixth inning. Even though he struck out seven batters, he allowed 12 hits and just looked bad tonight against the Reds. This makes two starts in a row where Blanton has allowed five runs or more, and if and when J.A. Happ comes back into the rotation, at this point, it should be Blanton that loses his spot, not Kyle Kendrick. At least Kendrick has shown that he can pitch well this year. Joe Blanton has been one of the worst pitchers in the National League so far this year, and isn't getting much better as of yet. For tonight, at least, the bullpen was able to bail Blanton out. The four man combination allowed a total of three hits and one run during 4.2 innings, and Ryan Madson picked up the win tonight by pitching a two strikeout, no hit performance in the tenth inning. That's what this team needs right now. When the starters can't pick things up, the bullpen has got to get the job done, and they did that tonight.
It certainly wasn't a pretty win tonight, but the Phillies might be starting to send a message out once again. For the second night in a row, they've won in extra innings, and tonight, they came back from six runs down in the bottom of the ninth inning. They looked more like the 2007 and 2008 Phils tonight, and that's a good thing. Over the last two games, they've managed to walk off against the National League Central Leaders and they've looked more and more like the teams from the last three years in the process. Tonight might not be a stepping point in the long run, but it certainly is going to set a point for the time being. Coming back from six runs down in the bottom of the ninth inning is not something that teams forget easily. Hopefully, this team can carry a bit of momentum into the All Star Break, and maybe, just maybe, they can start to gain ground on the Braves and Mets.
Tomorrow, Roy Halladay (10-7, 2.33 ERA) pitches for his 11th win of the season, as he faces off against Travis Wood (0-0, 3.86 ERA).
Friday, July 9, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-4, Reds-3
Game Recap:
Brian Schneider bailed out Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge with a walk-off home run in the 12th inning to give the Phillies the win tonight over the Reds.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 3-4 with a home run.
Wilson freaking Valdez went 2-5 with a run scored.
Brian Schneider was 1-5, but it was a big one, as he hit the game winning home run in the 12th inning.
Kyle Kendrick pitched well tonight, allowing a single run on three hits in 6.2 innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out four.
Nelson Figueroa was solid out of the pen, picking up the win while pitching two scoreless innings and striking out two.
What went wrong?
Ryan Howard was 0-5.
Greg Dobbs surprised no one by going 0-3.
Ryan Madson made his return from injury...and looked just like he did before, allowing a run to score on a wild pitch following a strike three call.
Brad Lidge looked even worse, surrendering the lead again thanks to two hits and a walk.
Game Analysis:
So, LeBron James is going to....oh wait, the Phillies played tonight, too! Never mind then, let's talk about them.
For most of the game tonight, it looked like the Phils had things in hand. Kyle Kendrick, believe it or not, pitched very well, and J.C. Romero got him out of trouble in the seventh inning. Of course, then the eighth and ninth innings had to come around, and things got rough from there. Ryan Madson made his first appearance since kicking a chair in San Francisco, and struck out the side, but allowed a run to score on a wild pitch following a strike three. Then, after Jimmy Rollins got the lead back, Brad Lidge blew his third save of the season by letting Miguel freaking Cairo hit an RBI double off of him. It wasn't a good night at all for the bullpen, but luckily Brian Schneider bailed them out with a walk-off home run in the 12th inning that saved the day for the Phillies.
That's not to say that the offense was stellar tonight. Shane Victorino was the big spark for the Phils, picking up three hits and starting things off with a home run, but after that, it was an atypical night for the Phillies. They had to manufacture runs, and the way that things have gone lately, you would think that they wouldn't have been able to do that. Tonight, they at least were able to, with Jimmy Rollins scoring on an error by Johnny Cueto in the third inning, and Wilson Valdez finding the plate thanks to a Rollins sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth inning. It was not a pretty night for the offense, you can say that, but the fact that they managed to pick up the win after dropping two straight to the Braves is at least a step in the right direction, maybe.
Then, there's the bullpen. It's been a problem for the Phillies all season, but tonight, it was really an issue. Ryan Madson made his first appearance in over two months, and struck out the side. The only problem was that his strikeout pitch on the third batter got past Brian Schneider and allowed the tying run to score. That's how it's been for the Phillies this year out of the bullpen. They get a run in, and then they give it back. Tonight, it was thanks to some Bad News Bear type plays, but it still counts the same. Even when Jimmy Rollins gave the Phils the lead back with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth, there was still a feeling of dread, knowing that Brad Lidge was coming into the game. That feeling came to fruition tonight, as Lidge couldn't locate his fastball and allowed an RBI double to Miguel freaking Cairo, who should be the last man on the planet that drives in a game tying run with two outs in the ninth inning. Luckily for Lidge and Madson, Jose Contreras and Nelson Figueroa managed to shut down the Reds for three innings and get them off of the hook when Brian Schneider launched a pitch into the right field seats.
Let's not get too excited over this win. The Phillies are still five and a half games back of the Braves for first place, and this hole is the biggest that they've been in since September of 2007. Luckily, there's a lot of time between now and the end of the season, but this team is giving off a different feeling. They think that they should be in first place just because of who they are, not because of what they've done. It's not good enough for the Phillies right now, and this team can do better. Even without Chase Utley and Placido Polanco, the Phils should have one of the best lineups in baseball, and it's not showing at the moment. If they don't take two of the next three from Cincinnati, then I might be concerned, but it's not time to press the panic button yet.
Tomorrow, Joe Blanton (3-5, 6.27 ERA) goes against the rookie, Mike Leake (6-1, 3.38 ERA).
Brian Schneider bailed out Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge with a walk-off home run in the 12th inning to give the Phillies the win tonight over the Reds.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 3-4 with a home run.
Wilson freaking Valdez went 2-5 with a run scored.
Brian Schneider was 1-5, but it was a big one, as he hit the game winning home run in the 12th inning.
Kyle Kendrick pitched well tonight, allowing a single run on three hits in 6.2 innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out four.
Nelson Figueroa was solid out of the pen, picking up the win while pitching two scoreless innings and striking out two.
What went wrong?
Ryan Howard was 0-5.
Greg Dobbs surprised no one by going 0-3.
Ryan Madson made his return from injury...and looked just like he did before, allowing a run to score on a wild pitch following a strike three call.
Brad Lidge looked even worse, surrendering the lead again thanks to two hits and a walk.
Game Analysis:
So, LeBron James is going to....oh wait, the Phillies played tonight, too! Never mind then, let's talk about them.
For most of the game tonight, it looked like the Phils had things in hand. Kyle Kendrick, believe it or not, pitched very well, and J.C. Romero got him out of trouble in the seventh inning. Of course, then the eighth and ninth innings had to come around, and things got rough from there. Ryan Madson made his first appearance since kicking a chair in San Francisco, and struck out the side, but allowed a run to score on a wild pitch following a strike three. Then, after Jimmy Rollins got the lead back, Brad Lidge blew his third save of the season by letting Miguel freaking Cairo hit an RBI double off of him. It wasn't a good night at all for the bullpen, but luckily Brian Schneider bailed them out with a walk-off home run in the 12th inning that saved the day for the Phillies.
That's not to say that the offense was stellar tonight. Shane Victorino was the big spark for the Phils, picking up three hits and starting things off with a home run, but after that, it was an atypical night for the Phillies. They had to manufacture runs, and the way that things have gone lately, you would think that they wouldn't have been able to do that. Tonight, they at least were able to, with Jimmy Rollins scoring on an error by Johnny Cueto in the third inning, and Wilson Valdez finding the plate thanks to a Rollins sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth inning. It was not a pretty night for the offense, you can say that, but the fact that they managed to pick up the win after dropping two straight to the Braves is at least a step in the right direction, maybe.
Then, there's the bullpen. It's been a problem for the Phillies all season, but tonight, it was really an issue. Ryan Madson made his first appearance in over two months, and struck out the side. The only problem was that his strikeout pitch on the third batter got past Brian Schneider and allowed the tying run to score. That's how it's been for the Phillies this year out of the bullpen. They get a run in, and then they give it back. Tonight, it was thanks to some Bad News Bear type plays, but it still counts the same. Even when Jimmy Rollins gave the Phils the lead back with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth, there was still a feeling of dread, knowing that Brad Lidge was coming into the game. That feeling came to fruition tonight, as Lidge couldn't locate his fastball and allowed an RBI double to Miguel freaking Cairo, who should be the last man on the planet that drives in a game tying run with two outs in the ninth inning. Luckily for Lidge and Madson, Jose Contreras and Nelson Figueroa managed to shut down the Reds for three innings and get them off of the hook when Brian Schneider launched a pitch into the right field seats.
Let's not get too excited over this win. The Phillies are still five and a half games back of the Braves for first place, and this hole is the biggest that they've been in since September of 2007. Luckily, there's a lot of time between now and the end of the season, but this team is giving off a different feeling. They think that they should be in first place just because of who they are, not because of what they've done. It's not good enough for the Phillies right now, and this team can do better. Even without Chase Utley and Placido Polanco, the Phils should have one of the best lineups in baseball, and it's not showing at the moment. If they don't take two of the next three from Cincinnati, then I might be concerned, but it's not time to press the panic button yet.
Tomorrow, Joe Blanton (3-5, 6.27 ERA) goes against the rookie, Mike Leake (6-1, 3.38 ERA).
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