Game Recap:
Cole Hamels pitched eight scoreless innings, and the Phillies took advantage of four San Diego errors to pick up the sweep over the Padres.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 1-4 with an RBI.
Jayson Werth went 1-3 with two runs scored, a walk and a home run.
Mike Sweeney hit his first home run as a Phillie and drove in two.
Carlos Ruiz went 2-3 and scored twice.
Cole Hamels continued his great pitching, going eight innings and allowing no runs on four hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out six.
Ryan Madson worked a scoreless ninth inning to keep the shutout intact.
What went wrong?
Shane Victorino was 0-4.
Placido Polanco went 0-4.
Chase Utley was...guess what? 0-4.
Raul Ibanez also went 0-4.
Game Analysis:
What a difference a road trip seems to make. After dropping four straight to the Houston Astros, the Phillies made their way out to San Diego for three games with the best team in the National League. Three days later, the Padres scored a grand total of three runs against the Phils, and the Phillies have put themselves back in first place in the National League Wild Card race.
What else can be said about Cole Hamels this season? Today, he was excellent again, but this time the offense picked up their game as well, and he got his first win since the All Star break. As he's been for most of the last two months, Hamels was terrific today. He kept the Padres guessing with his pitches and just looked great out on the mound. Even though he threw over 50 pitches in the first two innings, Hamels settled down after that and still wanted to come out for the ninth. That's how far he's come this year.
There's no real other way to say it. Ever since the the first month of the season, when Hamels had an ERA over 5.00, Cole's been right on par with Roy Halladay and now Roy Oswalt in the Philadelphia rotation. In August, even though he lost three games, Hamels has been nothing short of an ace. He's gone seven or more innings in all but one start, struck out 48 batters and walked just four. That's not a fluke. That's the sign of a pitcher getting his form back. At this point last season, we were hoping that Cole Hamels was going to be able to pitch like he did in the playoffs in 2008. Now, we're just hoping this doesn't end. It's looking more and more like last season was the fluke, and Hamels is back to the form that put him at the top of the rotation. Now, he has Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt around him, and the Phillies have one of the best 1-2-3 punches in the National League.
While the offense didn't put up many runs in this series, they didn't have to. Today, the Phils took advantage of the mistakes that the Padres made, and as was the case against the Giants earlier this month, it seemed like this entire series was a case of a team that's been at the top against a team that's trying to get there. The Phillies were able to score four of their five runs today thanks to mistakes by the San Diego defense. In the third inning, Carlos Ruiz reached on an infield single, got to second on a throwing error and eventually scored on a Jimmy Rollins single. Mike Sweeney's first home run as a Phillie might not have happened had Jayson Werth not worked a walk right before his at-bat. That home run put the Phils up 3-0. In the eighth, it was more of the same. Ruiz once again was involved, getting to second on what could have been a double play ball hit by Cole Hamels. Instead, it was charged as an error to pitcher Clayton Richard, his second of the day. Jimmy Rollins ended up flying out, but Ryan Ludwick airmailed the throw, and Ruiz scored for the fourth run of the day.
That's what this team needs to do down the stretch. They have to take advantage of mistakes, and they did that today. Against Houston, they couldn't score with men on base, but in this series, when they had a chance to have a man cross the plate, they often did. Today, the Phillies left just two men on base, meaning that when someone did get on for the Phils, they were more than likely going to end up coming home. The entire series wasn't that pretty, but when you get two teams together that have great pitching, that's what's going to happen. After playing down to the Astros, the Phillies played like the two time National League champions against the Padres. In doing so, they've hopefully sent a message to the rest of the National League that down the stretch, the Phillies are going to be a team to beat.
They're going to need to. In September, things don't get any easier, as the Phils play every National League East team at least twice, including a season ending series in Atlanta that could be very, very huge. It's going to be a fun run to the finish.
Tomorrow, Roy Halladay (16-9, 2.22 ERA) tries for his 17th win as the Phils head to Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers. Hiroki Kuroda (9-11, 3.56 ERA) pitches for Los Angeles.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Phillie of the Week: August 22-28
It was an up and down week for the Phils, who were swept by the Houston Astros, only to head out to San Diego and take the first two from the National League leading Padres. They did this while scoring more than three runs just once this week, but their pitching was just as good as their offense was bad. With the way the pitching was this week, there's no way a pitcher couldn't win. This week's Phillie of the Week is:
Roy Oswalt
Roy looks better and better each time he goes out on the mound. This past week, he went 1-0 with a 0.60 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 15 innings of work. Oh, he also played left field in Tuesday night's loss to the Astros.
Roy Oswalt
Roy looks better and better each time he goes out on the mound. This past week, he went 1-0 with a 0.60 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 15 innings of work. Oh, he also played left field in Tuesday night's loss to the Astros.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-3, Padres-2
Game Recap:
Jimmy Rollins scored on a 12th inning single by Placido Polanco, ending the Phillies four game losing streak and putting them back on top of the Wild Card standings.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins went 3-5 with a walk and two runs scored.
Placido Polanco was 2-6 with an RBI.
Chase Utley was 1-4 and had an RBI.
Raul Ibanez went 1-5 and drove in a run.
Roy Oswalt looked great, allowing just one run on five hits in eight innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out six.
Chad Durbin pitched two scoreless innings to pick up the win.
What went wrong?
Jayson Werth was 0-5.
Shane Victorino was 0-5.
Carlos Ruiz went 0-4.
Brad Lidge blew his fifth save of the season when he balked in the game tying run from third base.
Game Analysis:
For eight innings, the Phillies had this game well in hand. Roy Oswalt had shut down the San Diego offense, and while the Phils had only managed two runs against a tough Padres pitching staff, it looked like it would be enough. Then, Charlie Manuel pulled Oswalt in favor of Brad Lidge, who had been solid since the All Star break. Lidge was less than that last night. After allowing a single to Matt Stairs, Lidge retired the next two batters, then walked Adrian Gonzalez to face Ryan Ludwick. On an 0-2 pitch, Lidge hit Ludwick and then balked in the game tying run. Luckily, Jimmy Rollins decided to make a great slide at home in the 12th inning on a Placido Polanco single, and the Phillies still made it out of Petco Park with a win.
Ever since his first start with the Phillies, Roy Oswalt has been outstanding, and last night was no different. Aside from a solo home run he allowed to Yorvit Torrealba, Oswalt kept the Padres off the board for the entire eight innings that he worked. He had great location with his pitches again and had the Padres guessing for most of the night. It's amazing to know that three out of the five pitchers in the Phils rotation can usually go like this each time they step on the mound, and sometimes Kyle Kendrick or Joe Blanton can even pitch this well. The starting rotation at the moment is probably the least of anyone's worries when it comes to this home stretch that the Phillies are in.
The biggest question that the Phils have right now is their bullpen. Last night, Charlie made the questionable choice of lifting Oswalt, who had only thrown 102 pitches, for Brad Lidge. Yes, Lidge had been good in August up until last night, but there's always a chance that he's going to have one of those innings that costs the Phillies a game. He almost did that last night, when he balked in the game tying run, costing Oswalt the win. Luckily, he still managed to retire Chase Headley with runners on second and third to end the bottom of the ninth, and then the rest of the bullpen did their jobs to help get the Phillies a win. Lidge is the biggest concern for me at the moment, just because you never know what you're going to get when he is out on the mound. There are night when he looks like the pitcher from 2008, and then there are nights like the one last night. How do you balk in the game tying run?
There's not much to say about the offense, because against San Diego, most teams aren't going to score runs. The Phils did manage to get men on base against Matt Latos, but they couldn't do much with them, as they finished the game with 11 men left on base. The highlight of the night was that slide by Jimmy Rollins in the top of the 12th inning. Rollins looked like he was dead meat when the throw from center beat him to the plate, but he bent and twisted his body around Yorvit Torrealba, and that was just enough to get him home safely. Rollins and Placido Polanco each had good games at the plate, and while some of the other batters behind them couldn't get the job done, at least the two men at the top of the lineup were able to do their jobs.
It's been said a lot this year, but that wasn't a pretty win last night. Right now, the Phillies will take them anyway that they can. They're locked in a tight race, both for the Wild Card and the National League East, and any win is going to be important. This one was huge, as the four game sweep at the hands of the Astros was still stinging. At least now the Phils have a win in this series, and hopefully, they can pick up a few more.
This afternoon, Joe Blanton (5-6, 5.32 ERA) goes for the Phillies in the second game of this series. He'll be facing off against Jon Garland (13-8, 3.25 ERA).
Jimmy Rollins scored on a 12th inning single by Placido Polanco, ending the Phillies four game losing streak and putting them back on top of the Wild Card standings.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins went 3-5 with a walk and two runs scored.
Placido Polanco was 2-6 with an RBI.
Chase Utley was 1-4 and had an RBI.
Raul Ibanez went 1-5 and drove in a run.
Roy Oswalt looked great, allowing just one run on five hits in eight innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out six.
Chad Durbin pitched two scoreless innings to pick up the win.
What went wrong?
Jayson Werth was 0-5.
Shane Victorino was 0-5.
Carlos Ruiz went 0-4.
Brad Lidge blew his fifth save of the season when he balked in the game tying run from third base.
Game Analysis:
For eight innings, the Phillies had this game well in hand. Roy Oswalt had shut down the San Diego offense, and while the Phils had only managed two runs against a tough Padres pitching staff, it looked like it would be enough. Then, Charlie Manuel pulled Oswalt in favor of Brad Lidge, who had been solid since the All Star break. Lidge was less than that last night. After allowing a single to Matt Stairs, Lidge retired the next two batters, then walked Adrian Gonzalez to face Ryan Ludwick. On an 0-2 pitch, Lidge hit Ludwick and then balked in the game tying run. Luckily, Jimmy Rollins decided to make a great slide at home in the 12th inning on a Placido Polanco single, and the Phillies still made it out of Petco Park with a win.
Ever since his first start with the Phillies, Roy Oswalt has been outstanding, and last night was no different. Aside from a solo home run he allowed to Yorvit Torrealba, Oswalt kept the Padres off the board for the entire eight innings that he worked. He had great location with his pitches again and had the Padres guessing for most of the night. It's amazing to know that three out of the five pitchers in the Phils rotation can usually go like this each time they step on the mound, and sometimes Kyle Kendrick or Joe Blanton can even pitch this well. The starting rotation at the moment is probably the least of anyone's worries when it comes to this home stretch that the Phillies are in.
The biggest question that the Phils have right now is their bullpen. Last night, Charlie made the questionable choice of lifting Oswalt, who had only thrown 102 pitches, for Brad Lidge. Yes, Lidge had been good in August up until last night, but there's always a chance that he's going to have one of those innings that costs the Phillies a game. He almost did that last night, when he balked in the game tying run, costing Oswalt the win. Luckily, he still managed to retire Chase Headley with runners on second and third to end the bottom of the ninth, and then the rest of the bullpen did their jobs to help get the Phillies a win. Lidge is the biggest concern for me at the moment, just because you never know what you're going to get when he is out on the mound. There are night when he looks like the pitcher from 2008, and then there are nights like the one last night. How do you balk in the game tying run?
There's not much to say about the offense, because against San Diego, most teams aren't going to score runs. The Phils did manage to get men on base against Matt Latos, but they couldn't do much with them, as they finished the game with 11 men left on base. The highlight of the night was that slide by Jimmy Rollins in the top of the 12th inning. Rollins looked like he was dead meat when the throw from center beat him to the plate, but he bent and twisted his body around Yorvit Torrealba, and that was just enough to get him home safely. Rollins and Placido Polanco each had good games at the plate, and while some of the other batters behind them couldn't get the job done, at least the two men at the top of the lineup were able to do their jobs.
It's been said a lot this year, but that wasn't a pretty win last night. Right now, the Phillies will take them anyway that they can. They're locked in a tight race, both for the Wild Card and the National League East, and any win is going to be important. This one was huge, as the four game sweep at the hands of the Astros was still stinging. At least now the Phils have a win in this series, and hopefully, they can pick up a few more.
This afternoon, Joe Blanton (5-6, 5.32 ERA) goes for the Phillies in the second game of this series. He'll be facing off against Jon Garland (13-8, 3.25 ERA).
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Phillies Recap: Astros-3, Phillies-2
Game Recap:
The Phillies could only muster two runs off of J.A. Happ tonight, and they dropped their third straight game in this series to Houston.
What went right?
Placido Polanco went 1-4 with an RBI.
Jayson Werth was 1-4 with a solo home run.
Roy Halladay got hit with a loss, but it wasn't his fault. He allowed just three runs on six hits in seven innings of work. He walked two, struck out five and also went 1-2 at the plate with a run scored.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-4 with a strikeout.
Chase Utley went 0-3 with a strikeout.
Ben Francisco went 0-3 and was picked off third base in the bottom of the seventh inning, which ended the last threat the Phillies had.
The Phillies have scored all of six runs against the Houston Astros...in three games.
Game Analysis:
Another day, another poor showing at the plate for the Phillies in this series against Houston. Somehow, just as everyone got back off the disabled list, the offense decided to go south once again, and this time it's costing the Phillies late in the season. In June, I said having a slump then was better than having one in late August or September. Well, it's late August now, and this is not the time for the bats to not be working. For the third game in a row, the Phillies wasted a solid starting pitching effort, and this one was from Roy Halladay.
There's nothing wrong with the way Halladay pitched tonight. He did everything that he was supposed to do out on the mound, but he got no support from his offense. He did allow two home runs tonight and didn't have his best stuff out there, but even still, he deserved better than this loss. The Phillies just couldn't pick him up on offense, and there are times when even Roy Halladay can use some help. The Phils bailed him out in that win against the Mets not too long ago, but tonight, they couldn't get the job done. It's starting to get old.
In each of the first three games of this series, the starting pitching has gone into the seventh inning. It was expected from Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay, but to have Joe Blanton do it as well was a nice surprise. The only problem is that the Phillies have managed just two runs in each of the three games, with one game going into the 16th inning. Houston does not have that good of a pitching staff. In fact, the Astros are ranked 12th in the National League with a 4.24 ERA, and that's including tonight. When you throw in the fact that Houston is also ranked 12th in the National League in opponent's batting average, it's pretty pathetic how the Phils have played in this series so far. Houston was ripe for the picking coming into Philadelphia, and this was a series that this team needed to win. With a good showing in these four games, the Phillies could have easily gained ground on the Braves, who blew a 10-1 lead to Colorado today, or the Giants and Cardinals, who both also lost today. Instead, they're letting the Braves stay two and a half games up, and the Giants and Cardinals aren't losing any ground. It's the exact thing that the New York Mets did back in 2007 and 2008. Right now, the Phillies aren't winning the games that they're supposed to win.
It does come back to the offense, as well. When the starting pitching allows eight earned runs in three games, you should be able to win at least one or two of those games. Instead, the bats have gone cold once again. The team didn't have many chances tonight off of former Phillie J.A. Happ, but the ones that they did have were wasted. In the sixth inning, the Phils should have been able to push more than a single run across with runners on second and third and just one out, especially with the heart of the lineup coming up. Instead, Chase Utley popped out, and Jayson Werth grounded out to second to end the inning. In the very next inning, the Phillies had runners on the corners with two outs, and Ben Francisco gets picked off of third base to end the inning. You can not get picked off of third base in any situation, but to have it happen with your team down a run in the bottom of the seventh inning is inexcusable. Not only that, but it's the second time in this series that a runner has been picked off in scoring position.
I don't know what has to change right now, but something has to be done. The Phillies had to win three out of four of the games in this series to feel safe before heading out west on their road trip. Instead, they've lost the first three games, and the offense can't seem to do anything right at the moment. Tomorrow is a must win game for this team. They have to at least take one and not get swept.
It'll be Kyle Kendrick (8-6, 4.58 ERA) on the mound for the Phils. He'll be opposed by Wandy Rodriguez (9-12, 4.00 ERA).
The Phillies could only muster two runs off of J.A. Happ tonight, and they dropped their third straight game in this series to Houston.
What went right?
Placido Polanco went 1-4 with an RBI.
Jayson Werth was 1-4 with a solo home run.
Roy Halladay got hit with a loss, but it wasn't his fault. He allowed just three runs on six hits in seven innings of work. He walked two, struck out five and also went 1-2 at the plate with a run scored.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-4 with a strikeout.
Chase Utley went 0-3 with a strikeout.
Ben Francisco went 0-3 and was picked off third base in the bottom of the seventh inning, which ended the last threat the Phillies had.
The Phillies have scored all of six runs against the Houston Astros...in three games.
Game Analysis:
Another day, another poor showing at the plate for the Phillies in this series against Houston. Somehow, just as everyone got back off the disabled list, the offense decided to go south once again, and this time it's costing the Phillies late in the season. In June, I said having a slump then was better than having one in late August or September. Well, it's late August now, and this is not the time for the bats to not be working. For the third game in a row, the Phillies wasted a solid starting pitching effort, and this one was from Roy Halladay.
There's nothing wrong with the way Halladay pitched tonight. He did everything that he was supposed to do out on the mound, but he got no support from his offense. He did allow two home runs tonight and didn't have his best stuff out there, but even still, he deserved better than this loss. The Phillies just couldn't pick him up on offense, and there are times when even Roy Halladay can use some help. The Phils bailed him out in that win against the Mets not too long ago, but tonight, they couldn't get the job done. It's starting to get old.
In each of the first three games of this series, the starting pitching has gone into the seventh inning. It was expected from Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay, but to have Joe Blanton do it as well was a nice surprise. The only problem is that the Phillies have managed just two runs in each of the three games, with one game going into the 16th inning. Houston does not have that good of a pitching staff. In fact, the Astros are ranked 12th in the National League with a 4.24 ERA, and that's including tonight. When you throw in the fact that Houston is also ranked 12th in the National League in opponent's batting average, it's pretty pathetic how the Phils have played in this series so far. Houston was ripe for the picking coming into Philadelphia, and this was a series that this team needed to win. With a good showing in these four games, the Phillies could have easily gained ground on the Braves, who blew a 10-1 lead to Colorado today, or the Giants and Cardinals, who both also lost today. Instead, they're letting the Braves stay two and a half games up, and the Giants and Cardinals aren't losing any ground. It's the exact thing that the New York Mets did back in 2007 and 2008. Right now, the Phillies aren't winning the games that they're supposed to win.
It does come back to the offense, as well. When the starting pitching allows eight earned runs in three games, you should be able to win at least one or two of those games. Instead, the bats have gone cold once again. The team didn't have many chances tonight off of former Phillie J.A. Happ, but the ones that they did have were wasted. In the sixth inning, the Phils should have been able to push more than a single run across with runners on second and third and just one out, especially with the heart of the lineup coming up. Instead, Chase Utley popped out, and Jayson Werth grounded out to second to end the inning. In the very next inning, the Phillies had runners on the corners with two outs, and Ben Francisco gets picked off of third base to end the inning. You can not get picked off of third base in any situation, but to have it happen with your team down a run in the bottom of the seventh inning is inexcusable. Not only that, but it's the second time in this series that a runner has been picked off in scoring position.
I don't know what has to change right now, but something has to be done. The Phillies had to win three out of four of the games in this series to feel safe before heading out west on their road trip. Instead, they've lost the first three games, and the offense can't seem to do anything right at the moment. Tomorrow is a must win game for this team. They have to at least take one and not get swept.
It'll be Kyle Kendrick (8-6, 4.58 ERA) on the mound for the Phils. He'll be opposed by Wandy Rodriguez (9-12, 4.00 ERA).
Phillies Recap: Astros-4, Phillies-2
Game Recap:
In the strangest game of the season so far, the Phillies gave up two runs to the Astros in the top of the 16th inning to lose their second straight game. Oh, and Roy Oswalt played two innings in left field.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins only went 1-7, but it was his two out home run in the ninth inning that sent the game to extras.
Placido Polanco was 2-6 with two walks.
Chase Utley went 2-6 and walked twice.
Jayson Werth was 2-7 and scored a run.
Raul Ibanez went 2-6 with an RBI.
Cole Hamels pitched another good game, allowing just two runs on five hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out eight.
What went wrong?
Ryan Howard went 0-7 with five strikeouts and was ejected from the game in the bottom of the 14th inning, forcing Raul Ibanez to play first base and Roy Oswalt to play left field.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-5.
David Herndon pitched three innings, and fell apart in the 16th. He loaded the bases on a walk, a hit batter and a single, and then had two runs score.
The Phillies left 17 men on base.
Game Analysis:
What can be said about this game that is going to make Phillies fans feel better about it? Sure, Roy Oswalt actually looked good out in left field, but he shouldn't have had to been out there in the first place. Cole Hamels pitched another great game, but got hit with another no decision, since the Phillies still could only score a single run for him. Then, there's Ryan Howard and third base umpire Scott Barry. Can someone please explain to me why Barry is even a major league umpire? Oh that's right, he's not. He's a minor league fill-in.
After getting roughed up a bit in his last outing, Cole Hamels looked a lot better last night. He had good control over his pitches and the Astros really didn't have much of an answer for him, save for Carlos Lee's home run in the fourth inning. Other than that, Hamels was in control of the game. Of course, the Phillies still couldn't score any runs for him while he was on the mound. He got exactly one run of support, which is more than he'd gotten in his last three starts, at least, but it's still not good enough.
Right now, Hamels is pitching better than he has in the last year and a half. The Phillies needed him to get back to his 2008 form to match Roy Halladay, and he's done just that. The only problem is that the Phillies can never seem to score runs for him. In his last four starts, counting last night, he's gotten just that one run of support while he's been in the game. The Phillies were shutout 1-0 in two of those four games. Meanwhile, Hamels is pitching lights out, and the Phils can't do anything for him at the plate.
The offense was dreadful last night, and most of the blame falls on Ryan Howard. The big man went 0-7 with five strikeouts during the game, and then he got ejected in the 14th inning by a minor league replacement umpire that had no business ringing him up like that. Howard was more upset at himself than anything else when he struck out for the fifth time, and Scott Barry thought he was trying to show him up, so he tossed him. I've never seen Howard react like that after anything. He's been mad before, but never like that. The kicker again is that Barry isn't even a major league umpire. He works the minor leagues and fills in whenever he can up at the big league level. There's nothing else to say about this situation. If Howard gets suspended for this, and Barry gets to walk away after making a big deal over what should have been nothing, then he should never come back to Philadelphia.
In the end, the Phillies don't have anyone to blame but themselves for this loss, however. They left 17 men on base, and couldn't get the big hit when they needed it. They had men on base in each of the first four innings and couldn't push anyone across, and then had someone on base in every extra inning except for the 11th, and they still couldn't score. No, it wasn't Scott Barry who lost this game for the Phillies last night, it was the offense. They need to get things back together. In two days, they've lost their lead in the Wild Card, and things aren't going to get any easier.
Tonight, Roy Halladay (16-8, 2.16 ERA) goes for the Phillies. He'll face off against J.A. Happ (3-2, 3.54 ERA).
In the strangest game of the season so far, the Phillies gave up two runs to the Astros in the top of the 16th inning to lose their second straight game. Oh, and Roy Oswalt played two innings in left field.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins only went 1-7, but it was his two out home run in the ninth inning that sent the game to extras.
Placido Polanco was 2-6 with two walks.
Chase Utley went 2-6 and walked twice.
Jayson Werth was 2-7 and scored a run.
Raul Ibanez went 2-6 with an RBI.
Cole Hamels pitched another good game, allowing just two runs on five hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out eight.
What went wrong?
Ryan Howard went 0-7 with five strikeouts and was ejected from the game in the bottom of the 14th inning, forcing Raul Ibanez to play first base and Roy Oswalt to play left field.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-5.
David Herndon pitched three innings, and fell apart in the 16th. He loaded the bases on a walk, a hit batter and a single, and then had two runs score.
The Phillies left 17 men on base.
Game Analysis:
What can be said about this game that is going to make Phillies fans feel better about it? Sure, Roy Oswalt actually looked good out in left field, but he shouldn't have had to been out there in the first place. Cole Hamels pitched another great game, but got hit with another no decision, since the Phillies still could only score a single run for him. Then, there's Ryan Howard and third base umpire Scott Barry. Can someone please explain to me why Barry is even a major league umpire? Oh that's right, he's not. He's a minor league fill-in.
After getting roughed up a bit in his last outing, Cole Hamels looked a lot better last night. He had good control over his pitches and the Astros really didn't have much of an answer for him, save for Carlos Lee's home run in the fourth inning. Other than that, Hamels was in control of the game. Of course, the Phillies still couldn't score any runs for him while he was on the mound. He got exactly one run of support, which is more than he'd gotten in his last three starts, at least, but it's still not good enough.
Right now, Hamels is pitching better than he has in the last year and a half. The Phillies needed him to get back to his 2008 form to match Roy Halladay, and he's done just that. The only problem is that the Phillies can never seem to score runs for him. In his last four starts, counting last night, he's gotten just that one run of support while he's been in the game. The Phillies were shutout 1-0 in two of those four games. Meanwhile, Hamels is pitching lights out, and the Phils can't do anything for him at the plate.
The offense was dreadful last night, and most of the blame falls on Ryan Howard. The big man went 0-7 with five strikeouts during the game, and then he got ejected in the 14th inning by a minor league replacement umpire that had no business ringing him up like that. Howard was more upset at himself than anything else when he struck out for the fifth time, and Scott Barry thought he was trying to show him up, so he tossed him. I've never seen Howard react like that after anything. He's been mad before, but never like that. The kicker again is that Barry isn't even a major league umpire. He works the minor leagues and fills in whenever he can up at the big league level. There's nothing else to say about this situation. If Howard gets suspended for this, and Barry gets to walk away after making a big deal over what should have been nothing, then he should never come back to Philadelphia.
In the end, the Phillies don't have anyone to blame but themselves for this loss, however. They left 17 men on base, and couldn't get the big hit when they needed it. They had men on base in each of the first four innings and couldn't push anyone across, and then had someone on base in every extra inning except for the 11th, and they still couldn't score. No, it wasn't Scott Barry who lost this game for the Phillies last night, it was the offense. They need to get things back together. In two days, they've lost their lead in the Wild Card, and things aren't going to get any easier.
Tonight, Roy Halladay (16-8, 2.16 ERA) goes for the Phillies. He'll face off against J.A. Happ (3-2, 3.54 ERA).
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-6, Nationals-0
Game Recap:
Roy Oswalt pitched seven shutout innings, and the offense knocked out 12 hits to give the Phils the series win over the Nationals. With the win, they moved to two games over the Giants and Cardinals in the Wild Card.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 2-5 with two runs scored.
Raul Ibanez went 1-4 with a two run home run.
Placido Polanco hit third and did well, going 2-3 with two RBI.
Shane Victorino was 2-4 and scored a run.
Wilson freaking Valdez even did well, going 1-4 with two RBI.
Roy Oswalt pitched seven scoreless innings, giving up just five hits. He walked one, struck out eight, and went 2-3 at the plate with a run scored.
Ryan Madson and J.C. Romero worked perfect eighth and ninth innings to finish off the game.
What went wrong?
The Phillies allowed three stolen bases.
Game Analysis:
It sure looks like Roy Oswalt has settled in nicely for the Phillies. After getting knocked around in his first start and getting hit with a no decision in his second, Oswalt has now won three starts in a row for the Phils, and has looked better and better in each one. Today, he shut down the Washington Nationals, allowing just seven men to reach base in seven innings of work before leaving due to rain.
With Oswalt in the fold, the Phillies believed that they had three starters capable of pitching lights out almost every time they pitched, as Oswalt joined Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels. While Hamels has struggled a little bit lately with run support, Oswalt and Halladay have been everything that they're supposed to be, and more. Oswalt has been great of late, pitching seven innings in each of his last three starts while only allowing three runs in those three wins. Today was no exception. Roy got into a little trouble in the first inning, as the Nationals had a man on third base with just one out, but then Oswalt showed why he was so coveted at the trade deadline by striking out Adam Dunn and Ryan Zimmerman to get out of the inning. From there, Oswalt was on another level. The Nationals wouldn't get that close to a run for the rest of the day, and the Phillies would take care of the rest on offense.
A good offense does start at the top, and today, Jimmy Rollins played the leadoff role to perfection. Rollins reached base twice in five at-bats, and both times that he did, he came around to score. That's exactly what a leadoff man should do, and the rest of the offense followed suit as well. Placido Polanco looked sharp and drove in two runs, and while Ryan Howard only went 1-4 with a strikeout, it's going to be a few games before he finds his swing again. He only had one rehab start before getting called back up to the Phils, so it might take another game or two before he really gets going. It's nothing to worry about, as long as the rest of the offense can hit, and they did that today. The Phils worked Scott Olsen over in six innings, picking up nine hits and three walks before he left the game. Any time you can have 12 men reach base against a starting pitcher, it's going to raise his pitch count, and that's only going to lead to better things for the offense. That's exactly what the Phils did today, and now that they're done with the Nationals, they have to look towards Houston.
It's the home stretch for the Phillies now as they start a four game series with the Houston Astros. Before they head out west for series with the Padres and Dodgers, the Phils have to take at least three of these four games. If they don't, they're going to let the Giants back into the mix, and allow the Braves to increase their lead in the division. The Astros are not that good of a team, and the Phils have Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels pitching two of the games. Those should be wins right there. All that's left is to have Joe Blanton or Kyle Kendrick win a game. That might be a little bit tougher.
Tomorrow, the Astros come into town. Joe Blanton (5-6, 5.64 ERA) is going for the Phils, while Brett Myers (8-7, 3.11 ERA) pitches for Houston. Yep, it's that Brett Myers, and he's pitching that well. Why couldn't the Phillies have kept him and let Blanton go to Houston?
Roy Oswalt pitched seven shutout innings, and the offense knocked out 12 hits to give the Phils the series win over the Nationals. With the win, they moved to two games over the Giants and Cardinals in the Wild Card.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 2-5 with two runs scored.
Raul Ibanez went 1-4 with a two run home run.
Placido Polanco hit third and did well, going 2-3 with two RBI.
Shane Victorino was 2-4 and scored a run.
Wilson freaking Valdez even did well, going 1-4 with two RBI.
Roy Oswalt pitched seven scoreless innings, giving up just five hits. He walked one, struck out eight, and went 2-3 at the plate with a run scored.
Ryan Madson and J.C. Romero worked perfect eighth and ninth innings to finish off the game.
What went wrong?
The Phillies allowed three stolen bases.
Game Analysis:
It sure looks like Roy Oswalt has settled in nicely for the Phillies. After getting knocked around in his first start and getting hit with a no decision in his second, Oswalt has now won three starts in a row for the Phils, and has looked better and better in each one. Today, he shut down the Washington Nationals, allowing just seven men to reach base in seven innings of work before leaving due to rain.
With Oswalt in the fold, the Phillies believed that they had three starters capable of pitching lights out almost every time they pitched, as Oswalt joined Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels. While Hamels has struggled a little bit lately with run support, Oswalt and Halladay have been everything that they're supposed to be, and more. Oswalt has been great of late, pitching seven innings in each of his last three starts while only allowing three runs in those three wins. Today was no exception. Roy got into a little trouble in the first inning, as the Nationals had a man on third base with just one out, but then Oswalt showed why he was so coveted at the trade deadline by striking out Adam Dunn and Ryan Zimmerman to get out of the inning. From there, Oswalt was on another level. The Nationals wouldn't get that close to a run for the rest of the day, and the Phillies would take care of the rest on offense.
A good offense does start at the top, and today, Jimmy Rollins played the leadoff role to perfection. Rollins reached base twice in five at-bats, and both times that he did, he came around to score. That's exactly what a leadoff man should do, and the rest of the offense followed suit as well. Placido Polanco looked sharp and drove in two runs, and while Ryan Howard only went 1-4 with a strikeout, it's going to be a few games before he finds his swing again. He only had one rehab start before getting called back up to the Phils, so it might take another game or two before he really gets going. It's nothing to worry about, as long as the rest of the offense can hit, and they did that today. The Phils worked Scott Olsen over in six innings, picking up nine hits and three walks before he left the game. Any time you can have 12 men reach base against a starting pitcher, it's going to raise his pitch count, and that's only going to lead to better things for the offense. That's exactly what the Phils did today, and now that they're done with the Nationals, they have to look towards Houston.
It's the home stretch for the Phillies now as they start a four game series with the Houston Astros. Before they head out west for series with the Padres and Dodgers, the Phils have to take at least three of these four games. If they don't, they're going to let the Giants back into the mix, and allow the Braves to increase their lead in the division. The Astros are not that good of a team, and the Phils have Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels pitching two of the games. Those should be wins right there. All that's left is to have Joe Blanton or Kyle Kendrick win a game. That might be a little bit tougher.
Tomorrow, the Astros come into town. Joe Blanton (5-6, 5.64 ERA) is going for the Phils, while Brett Myers (8-7, 3.11 ERA) pitches for Houston. Yep, it's that Brett Myers, and he's pitching that well. Why couldn't the Phillies have kept him and let Blanton go to Houston?
Phillie of the Week: August 15-21
The Phils continued their great play in August this past week, going 4-2 and taking first place in the Wild Card away from the San Francisco Giants. While a lot of players contributed this week, one stood about above the rest. This week's Phillie of the Week is:
Jimmy Rollins
Rollins hasn't had the best season this year, but last week, he was solid. Jimmy hit .269 with a home run, six RBI, four runs scored a five stolen bases. In short, he was everything that a leadoff hitter was supposed to be.
Jimmy Rollins
Rollins hasn't had the best season this year, but last week, he was solid. Jimmy hit .269 with a home run, six RBI, four runs scored a five stolen bases. In short, he was everything that a leadoff hitter was supposed to be.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-1, Nationals-0
Game Recap:
The Phillies only managed four hits, but a double by Raul Ibanez scored the game's only run, and that was enough for Roy Halladay to pick up his 16th win of the season.
What went right?
Chase Utley was 1-3 with a walk and a run scored.
Raul Ibanez had the only RBI of the game with a double in the third inning.
Roy Halladay pitched seven scoreless innings in earning his 16th win of the season. He allowed eight hits and walked three while striking out five.
Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge shut the door in the eighth and ninth innings, with Lidge picking up his seventh straight save.
What went wrong?
Mike Sweeney went 0-3.
Shane Victorino was 0-3.
The Phillies only managed four hits off of the Washington Nationals.
Game Analysis:
After being on the losing end of a few 1-0 games this year, it was about time for the Phillies to be on the right side of things. Last night, the Phils could only manage four hits and four walks off of Jason Marquis, but it was enough to get the job done. Raul Ibanez had an RBI double in the third inning, and Roy Halladay pitched seven strong innings before the bullpen did their job as the Phils got back on the winning track last night.
Halladay had some trouble with the strike zone in the first inning, walking two batters and getting called for a balk, but he got out of it with a nice double play ball to end the inning. After that, the Nationals only had one other man reach third base for the rest of the game. It was another strong start by Halladay, who has won six games in a row after dropping to 10-8 in July. He hasn't given up a run in his last two starts, and looks like he's even stronger now than he was at the start of the season. Considering he's already pitched 200 innings this year, that's quite impressive.
You have to wonder though if the innings Halladay has already pitched are going to come back and bite the Phillies later on this season. Remember, Halladay has never pitched in the playoffs before, and even though he's gone over 230 innings in each of the last two seasons, the playoffs are a different creature. The Phils are going to need him to pitch as deep into games as he can for the rest of the year because of the races that they are in, and with him going more and more, it might start to slow him down. Then again, Halladay hasn't shown any signs of getting weaker yet, so this might just be the thing he needs to keep going through the rest of the season. Either way, as long as he keeps pitching like this, no one is going to mind at all.
You can harp on how the offense has played in each of the last two games, but after winning last night, it's not as big of a deal. Had they lost with only one or two runs, as they did Thursday night, it may be more of a problem, but with Roy Halladay on the mound, all it takes some times is a single run. That's what the Phillies got last night. Jason Marquis shut down the Phillies, but made one too many mistakes in the third inning. After getting the first two outs rather easily, Marquis walked Chase Utley and Jayson Werth to bring up Raul Ibanez. Ibanez lined a shot down the first base line that bounced off of Adam Dunn and went far enough to score Utley. It wasn't pretty, but the Phils came up with a clutch two out hit to give them the only run of the game. Does anyone want to see the Phillies win like that all of the time? Of course not, but if they win, that's all that matters. Right now, the Phillies need all the wins they can get. It doesn't matter if they win by a run or ten runs, as long as they can keep winning, they'll have their shot to make the playoffs again.
Tonight, Kyle Kendrick (8-5, 4.45 ERA) goes for his ninth win of the season. He'll be facing rookie Stephen Strasburg (5-3, 2.97 ERA). You may have heard of him.
The Phillies only managed four hits, but a double by Raul Ibanez scored the game's only run, and that was enough for Roy Halladay to pick up his 16th win of the season.
What went right?
Chase Utley was 1-3 with a walk and a run scored.
Raul Ibanez had the only RBI of the game with a double in the third inning.
Roy Halladay pitched seven scoreless innings in earning his 16th win of the season. He allowed eight hits and walked three while striking out five.
Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge shut the door in the eighth and ninth innings, with Lidge picking up his seventh straight save.
What went wrong?
Mike Sweeney went 0-3.
Shane Victorino was 0-3.
The Phillies only managed four hits off of the Washington Nationals.
Game Analysis:
After being on the losing end of a few 1-0 games this year, it was about time for the Phillies to be on the right side of things. Last night, the Phils could only manage four hits and four walks off of Jason Marquis, but it was enough to get the job done. Raul Ibanez had an RBI double in the third inning, and Roy Halladay pitched seven strong innings before the bullpen did their job as the Phils got back on the winning track last night.
Halladay had some trouble with the strike zone in the first inning, walking two batters and getting called for a balk, but he got out of it with a nice double play ball to end the inning. After that, the Nationals only had one other man reach third base for the rest of the game. It was another strong start by Halladay, who has won six games in a row after dropping to 10-8 in July. He hasn't given up a run in his last two starts, and looks like he's even stronger now than he was at the start of the season. Considering he's already pitched 200 innings this year, that's quite impressive.
You have to wonder though if the innings Halladay has already pitched are going to come back and bite the Phillies later on this season. Remember, Halladay has never pitched in the playoffs before, and even though he's gone over 230 innings in each of the last two seasons, the playoffs are a different creature. The Phils are going to need him to pitch as deep into games as he can for the rest of the year because of the races that they are in, and with him going more and more, it might start to slow him down. Then again, Halladay hasn't shown any signs of getting weaker yet, so this might just be the thing he needs to keep going through the rest of the season. Either way, as long as he keeps pitching like this, no one is going to mind at all.
You can harp on how the offense has played in each of the last two games, but after winning last night, it's not as big of a deal. Had they lost with only one or two runs, as they did Thursday night, it may be more of a problem, but with Roy Halladay on the mound, all it takes some times is a single run. That's what the Phillies got last night. Jason Marquis shut down the Phillies, but made one too many mistakes in the third inning. After getting the first two outs rather easily, Marquis walked Chase Utley and Jayson Werth to bring up Raul Ibanez. Ibanez lined a shot down the first base line that bounced off of Adam Dunn and went far enough to score Utley. It wasn't pretty, but the Phils came up with a clutch two out hit to give them the only run of the game. Does anyone want to see the Phillies win like that all of the time? Of course not, but if they win, that's all that matters. Right now, the Phillies need all the wins they can get. It doesn't matter if they win by a run or ten runs, as long as they can keep winning, they'll have their shot to make the playoffs again.
Tonight, Kyle Kendrick (8-5, 4.45 ERA) goes for his ninth win of the season. He'll be facing rookie Stephen Strasburg (5-3, 2.97 ERA). You may have heard of him.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-8, Giants-2
Game Recap:
Jimmy Rollins finished a double short of the cycle, and Joe Blanton allowed just two runs as the Phillies won their second straight game against the Giants and increased their lead to two games in the Wild Card race.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 3-5 with two stolen bases, two runs scored and a three run home run. He finished a double short of hitting for the cycle.
Chase Utley was 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Raul Ibanez went 1-3 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI.
Jayson Werth went 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Carlos Ruiz continued to be amazing, going 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Domonic Brown pinch hit in the eighth inning, and made it worth it, hitting his second major league home run.
Joe Blanton picked up his fifth win of the season, allowing two runs on eight hits in six and a third innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out seven.
The bullpen was excellent again, not allowing a singe runner to reach base for their entire time in the game.
What went wrong?
Placido Polanco was 0-4.
Ross Gload reached base once, but was still 0-4, thanks to an error.
Game Analysis:
Two big games in a row, and two straight blowout wins for the Phillies. With their win last night, the Phils have won 20 of their last 25 games, and while the Braves are still holding pace in the National League East, the Phillies now have a two game lead in the Wild Card standings.
For the second straight game, the Phils took advantage of the San Francisco pitching. The Giants have had one of the best pitching staffs in the National League this year, but against the Phillies so far in this series, they've allowed 17 runs, and the Phillies look like the two time National League champions against them. The starting pitching has been excellent so far in this series as well. Last night, it was Joe Blanton playing, well, Joe Blanton. He allowed a first inning run once again on a home run by Andres Torres, but settled down after that, retiring the Giants in order in three of the next five innings while only surrendering one more run on a Pat Burrell home run. After a rough start his last time out, Blanton looked much better last night against the Giants. He had good location with his pitches, and didn't walk a single batter. Plus, he avoided the big inning that has given him fits this season, and he got out of the first inning with only one run scored against him. Honestly, that's progress considering how he's pitched this year.
One thing that hasn't needed any help over the last two games has been the offense. In the two games played so far against the Giants, the Phils have taken Barry Zito and Matt Cain, two pitchers with ERAs right around or under 3.50 and knocked them out of the game before they knew what was happening. Zito only lasted five innings two nights ago, and Cain made it six innings last night, allowing five runs in those innings. Then, for the second night in a row, the San Francisco bullpen imploded. Jeremy Affeldt gave up two runs on a triple to Raul Ibanez and a double by Jayson Werth, and Domonic Brown finished things off in the eighth inning with a monster home run that capped the scoring. It was another great night for the offense, who got production from almost every spot in the lineup. Jimmy Rollins was excellent, stealing two bases in the first inning and then picking up three hits, including a three run home run in the fifth inning that took the game from a tight 2-1 score to a much nicer 5-1 lead. That makes four straight games for Jimmy with a hit, and he's actually outscored the Giants so far in this series, having driven in six runs by himself in the two games.
The offense has had it's share of problems this year, but as the season starts to wind down, things look like they're coming together. Chase Utley is back in the lineup, and Ryan Howard should be joining him soon. Everyone else is hitting much better, and Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez have put their slow play from parts of the season well back in the rear view mirror. Right now, the Phillies might be the hottest team in baseball, and with three of the better starting pitchers in the National League in their rotation as well, it's going to be fun to actually see this team at 100% for the first time all season when Howard gets back. They're hot at the right time, they're getting better at the right time, and now, they have a two game lead in the Wild Card with a chance to make it three with a sweep tonight.
Cole Hamels (7-9, 3.33 ERA) pitches tonight for the Phils. He'll be facing Jonathan Sanchez (8-8, 3.60 ERA). Hopefully, the Phillies can give him a few runs tonight.
Jimmy Rollins finished a double short of the cycle, and Joe Blanton allowed just two runs as the Phillies won their second straight game against the Giants and increased their lead to two games in the Wild Card race.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 3-5 with two stolen bases, two runs scored and a three run home run. He finished a double short of hitting for the cycle.
Chase Utley was 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Raul Ibanez went 1-3 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI.
Jayson Werth went 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Carlos Ruiz continued to be amazing, going 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Domonic Brown pinch hit in the eighth inning, and made it worth it, hitting his second major league home run.
Joe Blanton picked up his fifth win of the season, allowing two runs on eight hits in six and a third innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out seven.
The bullpen was excellent again, not allowing a singe runner to reach base for their entire time in the game.
What went wrong?
Placido Polanco was 0-4.
Ross Gload reached base once, but was still 0-4, thanks to an error.
Game Analysis:
Two big games in a row, and two straight blowout wins for the Phillies. With their win last night, the Phils have won 20 of their last 25 games, and while the Braves are still holding pace in the National League East, the Phillies now have a two game lead in the Wild Card standings.
For the second straight game, the Phils took advantage of the San Francisco pitching. The Giants have had one of the best pitching staffs in the National League this year, but against the Phillies so far in this series, they've allowed 17 runs, and the Phillies look like the two time National League champions against them. The starting pitching has been excellent so far in this series as well. Last night, it was Joe Blanton playing, well, Joe Blanton. He allowed a first inning run once again on a home run by Andres Torres, but settled down after that, retiring the Giants in order in three of the next five innings while only surrendering one more run on a Pat Burrell home run. After a rough start his last time out, Blanton looked much better last night against the Giants. He had good location with his pitches, and didn't walk a single batter. Plus, he avoided the big inning that has given him fits this season, and he got out of the first inning with only one run scored against him. Honestly, that's progress considering how he's pitched this year.
One thing that hasn't needed any help over the last two games has been the offense. In the two games played so far against the Giants, the Phils have taken Barry Zito and Matt Cain, two pitchers with ERAs right around or under 3.50 and knocked them out of the game before they knew what was happening. Zito only lasted five innings two nights ago, and Cain made it six innings last night, allowing five runs in those innings. Then, for the second night in a row, the San Francisco bullpen imploded. Jeremy Affeldt gave up two runs on a triple to Raul Ibanez and a double by Jayson Werth, and Domonic Brown finished things off in the eighth inning with a monster home run that capped the scoring. It was another great night for the offense, who got production from almost every spot in the lineup. Jimmy Rollins was excellent, stealing two bases in the first inning and then picking up three hits, including a three run home run in the fifth inning that took the game from a tight 2-1 score to a much nicer 5-1 lead. That makes four straight games for Jimmy with a hit, and he's actually outscored the Giants so far in this series, having driven in six runs by himself in the two games.
The offense has had it's share of problems this year, but as the season starts to wind down, things look like they're coming together. Chase Utley is back in the lineup, and Ryan Howard should be joining him soon. Everyone else is hitting much better, and Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez have put their slow play from parts of the season well back in the rear view mirror. Right now, the Phillies might be the hottest team in baseball, and with three of the better starting pitchers in the National League in their rotation as well, it's going to be fun to actually see this team at 100% for the first time all season when Howard gets back. They're hot at the right time, they're getting better at the right time, and now, they have a two game lead in the Wild Card with a chance to make it three with a sweep tonight.
Cole Hamels (7-9, 3.33 ERA) pitches tonight for the Phils. He'll be facing Jonathan Sanchez (8-8, 3.60 ERA). Hopefully, the Phillies can give him a few runs tonight.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-9, Giants-3
Game Recap:
After Roy Oswalt pitched seven strong innings, the Phillies jumped on the Giants for five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, blowing open a tight game and giving them a one game lead in the Wild Card race.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 2-5 with three RBI and a run scored.
Placido Polanco went 4-5 and scored a run.
Jayson Werth was 1-4 with a run scored.
Shane Victorino was 2-4, drove in two, scored a run and had a stolen base.
Mike Sweeney went 1-3 with a walk and two runs scored.
Raul Ibanez was 2-3 with a run scored.
Carlos Ruiz went 1-3 with two runs batted in and two runs scored.
Roy Oswalt worked seven innings for his second win as a Phillie. He allowed three runs on six hits while striking out seven and walking none.
What went wrong?
I could call out Chase Utley for not getting a hit, but he came back early from his injury, so I'm not going to.
Game Analysis:
This series against the Giants is the biggest one of the season so far for the Phillies. Each of these three games is going to have a playoff feel to it, and tonight's was no exception. Despite Roy Oswalt giving up two runs in the first inning, the Phillies were able to bounce back and chase Barry Zito from the game after five plus innings of work. After that, the floodgates opened in the eighth inning as the Phils put San Francisco away and gave themselves a one game lead in the Wild Card.
It didn't look like it was going to be a good start at first for Roy Oswalt. The newest Phillie pitcher allowed back to back hits to start the game, then gave up a run on a double play before Pat Burrell made his return to Philadelphia with a solo home run. After the three hit first inning though, Oswalt would only allow three more hits for the other six innings that he pitched. He had great command of his fastball tonight, and looked more like the pitcher the Phillies had traded for than the one that struggled in his first start with the team. With each start, Oswalt seems more and more comfortable, and he's been better each time out. Even with the headache in the first inning tonight, Oswalt buckled down and ended up with the win. It seemed like after the first time through the San Francisco lineup, the Giants couldn't figure out what he was going to throw, and that's the sign of a very, very good pitcher on the mound.
On the other hand, Barry Zito had problems with the Phillies at the plate after their first time facing him tonight. Zito worked quickly through the first four innings, getting two double plays to get out of trouble, but in the fifth inning, he couldn't escape from Jimmy Rollins. Rollins nailed a two out single into center field that tied the game, and then Shane Victorino would finish the job in the sixth inning. Shane's two run double chased Zito from the game and gave the Phillies a lead that they would never give up.
After Ryan Madson worked out of a little trouble in the top of the eighth inning, the Phils came out in the bottom of the frame and worked the Giants over. The San Francisco bullpen allowed the first four Phillies that came to the plate in the inning to reach base, and all four would eventually come around and score. The Phillies also took advantage of San Francisco mistakes in the inning, with a run scoring on a balk and another run coming home on an error at second base. It wasn't pretty for the Giants, but the Phillies have been in situations like these before, and they know how to take advantage of them. San Francisco has a lot of new players on the team, and while some of them do have playoff experience, many do not. In this game tonight, it seemed like a perfect example of youth against experience. The Phillies know how to react when the opposing team makes a mistake. They know that allowing a few runs in the first inning of a game isn't the end of the world, because they still have the rest of the game to score, and their offense isn't going to go down without a fight. It's why they've won three straight National League East pennants and back to back National League championships. The Giants are a talented team, no doubt about it, but several of their key players haven't been in situations like this one.
With that being said, anything can still happen in this series. For tonight at least, things look good. The Phils took first blood from the Giants, and Roy Oswalt was on top of his game. It's the first game, but there's still two more left in the series.
Tomorrow night, Joe Blanton (4-6, 5.69 ERA) pitches for the Phillies. Matt Cain (9-9, 3.11 ERA) will go for the Giants.
After Roy Oswalt pitched seven strong innings, the Phillies jumped on the Giants for five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, blowing open a tight game and giving them a one game lead in the Wild Card race.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 2-5 with three RBI and a run scored.
Placido Polanco went 4-5 and scored a run.
Jayson Werth was 1-4 with a run scored.
Shane Victorino was 2-4, drove in two, scored a run and had a stolen base.
Mike Sweeney went 1-3 with a walk and two runs scored.
Raul Ibanez was 2-3 with a run scored.
Carlos Ruiz went 1-3 with two runs batted in and two runs scored.
Roy Oswalt worked seven innings for his second win as a Phillie. He allowed three runs on six hits while striking out seven and walking none.
What went wrong?
I could call out Chase Utley for not getting a hit, but he came back early from his injury, so I'm not going to.
Game Analysis:
This series against the Giants is the biggest one of the season so far for the Phillies. Each of these three games is going to have a playoff feel to it, and tonight's was no exception. Despite Roy Oswalt giving up two runs in the first inning, the Phillies were able to bounce back and chase Barry Zito from the game after five plus innings of work. After that, the floodgates opened in the eighth inning as the Phils put San Francisco away and gave themselves a one game lead in the Wild Card.
It didn't look like it was going to be a good start at first for Roy Oswalt. The newest Phillie pitcher allowed back to back hits to start the game, then gave up a run on a double play before Pat Burrell made his return to Philadelphia with a solo home run. After the three hit first inning though, Oswalt would only allow three more hits for the other six innings that he pitched. He had great command of his fastball tonight, and looked more like the pitcher the Phillies had traded for than the one that struggled in his first start with the team. With each start, Oswalt seems more and more comfortable, and he's been better each time out. Even with the headache in the first inning tonight, Oswalt buckled down and ended up with the win. It seemed like after the first time through the San Francisco lineup, the Giants couldn't figure out what he was going to throw, and that's the sign of a very, very good pitcher on the mound.
On the other hand, Barry Zito had problems with the Phillies at the plate after their first time facing him tonight. Zito worked quickly through the first four innings, getting two double plays to get out of trouble, but in the fifth inning, he couldn't escape from Jimmy Rollins. Rollins nailed a two out single into center field that tied the game, and then Shane Victorino would finish the job in the sixth inning. Shane's two run double chased Zito from the game and gave the Phillies a lead that they would never give up.
After Ryan Madson worked out of a little trouble in the top of the eighth inning, the Phils came out in the bottom of the frame and worked the Giants over. The San Francisco bullpen allowed the first four Phillies that came to the plate in the inning to reach base, and all four would eventually come around and score. The Phillies also took advantage of San Francisco mistakes in the inning, with a run scoring on a balk and another run coming home on an error at second base. It wasn't pretty for the Giants, but the Phillies have been in situations like these before, and they know how to take advantage of them. San Francisco has a lot of new players on the team, and while some of them do have playoff experience, many do not. In this game tonight, it seemed like a perfect example of youth against experience. The Phillies know how to react when the opposing team makes a mistake. They know that allowing a few runs in the first inning of a game isn't the end of the world, because they still have the rest of the game to score, and their offense isn't going to go down without a fight. It's why they've won three straight National League East pennants and back to back National League championships. The Giants are a talented team, no doubt about it, but several of their key players haven't been in situations like this one.
With that being said, anything can still happen in this series. For tonight at least, things look good. The Phils took first blood from the Giants, and Roy Oswalt was on top of his game. It's the first game, but there's still two more left in the series.
Tomorrow night, Joe Blanton (4-6, 5.69 ERA) pitches for the Phillies. Matt Cain (9-9, 3.11 ERA) will go for the Giants.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-3, Mets-1
Game Recap:
Kyle Kendrick threw 6 and two-thirds innings of one run baseball, and the offense did just enough to get past the New York Mets and move the Phillies into first place in the National League Wild Card race.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 1-5 with two stolen bases and a run scored.
Shane Victorino went 3-5, scored a run, stole a base and had an RBI.
Placido Polanco was 1-3 with an RBI and a walk.
Jayson Werth was 2-3 and scored a run.
Carlos Ruiz was 1-4 with an RBI.
Kyle Kendrick picked up his eighth win of the season, going six and two-thirds innings. He allowed one run on six hits while walking one and striking out four.
The bullpen was excellent, holding the Mets without a hit while they were in the game. Brad Lidge worked a perfect ninth inning for his 16th save of the season.
What went wrong?
Raul Ibanez was 0-5 with three strikeouts.
Greg Dobbs was 0-3.
Wilson Valdez went 0-4.
Game Analysis:
Faced with nasty weather in New York last night, Kyle Kendrick came out and pitched one of his best games of the season. Like Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay did on the past two nights, Kendrick shut down the Mets, giving up just a single run as the Phillies manufactured three runs to beat the Mets for the second straight night.
Last night, Kyle Kendrick actually showed why he deserved to pitch for the Phillies this year. He hasn't had the best season, but he was rock solid last night. The only run he allowed was a home run off of the foul pole by Jose Reyes, and after that, Kendrick allowed just one more hit for the rest of the time he was pitching. It was a great effort by Kendrick, and the Phillies needed it. A loss would have pushed them to three games behind the Atlanta Braves, and with this win, the Phils are now percentage points ahead of the San Francisco Giants for first place in the Wild Card. Right now, that's good enough.
The bullpen was great last night as well. Chad Durbin took care of Jeff Francour in the seventh, and Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge shut the door in the eighth and ninth innings, with Lidge working a perfect ninth to pick up his sixth straight save. He's only allowed two hits during this run, and looks more and more like the Brad Lidge from two years ago, rather than the Brad Lidge from last year. That's the kind of pitching out of the bullpen that the Phillies are going to need though the rest of the season. The bullpen is the one weak spot on this team, and if they can get past that, then they are going to be a team that no one wants to play come October. Last night was a great showing of what can be done out of the pen, but it was just one game. Lidge is looking much better, but this needs to be done night in and night out. That's the only way this team is going to make another run.
Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino can catch a lot of flak for not being the table setters at the top of the lineup, but last night, they did everything that they're supposed to do and more. Rollins only reached base once, but he did so with two outs, and then stole second and third base before coming home on Victorino's RBI double. Two innings later, it was Victorino that singled and stole second. Placido Polanco drove him home with a single that put the Phillies on top for good. It doesn't happen every night, but when the top two men in the lineup can get on base and steal bases like that, it makes the Phillies an even more dangerous team on offense. The power is going to come back when Ryan Howard and Chase Utley return, but they need that speed at the top of the lineup. Sure, Rollins isn't going to ever post a .400 on base percentage, but when he does get on, he needs to do what he did against the Mets. He had Mike Pelfrey locked down with his motion last night, and was even telling the rest of the team how to get a good jump off of him and catcher Josh Thole. That is what a leader should do, and that's what this team has been doing ever since the two biggest bats left the lineup. The Phils have played as a team since then, and they've looked very good doing it.
The Phillies have the day off today, but start up their biggest series of the season on Tuesday as they take on the San Francisco Giants. Quite simply, this could make or break the season for the Phils in their next three games. Roy Oswalt (7-13, 3.34 ERA) gets the start on Tuesday against Barry Zito (8-6, 3.44 ERA).
Kyle Kendrick threw 6 and two-thirds innings of one run baseball, and the offense did just enough to get past the New York Mets and move the Phillies into first place in the National League Wild Card race.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 1-5 with two stolen bases and a run scored.
Shane Victorino went 3-5, scored a run, stole a base and had an RBI.
Placido Polanco was 1-3 with an RBI and a walk.
Jayson Werth was 2-3 and scored a run.
Carlos Ruiz was 1-4 with an RBI.
Kyle Kendrick picked up his eighth win of the season, going six and two-thirds innings. He allowed one run on six hits while walking one and striking out four.
The bullpen was excellent, holding the Mets without a hit while they were in the game. Brad Lidge worked a perfect ninth inning for his 16th save of the season.
What went wrong?
Raul Ibanez was 0-5 with three strikeouts.
Greg Dobbs was 0-3.
Wilson Valdez went 0-4.
Game Analysis:
Faced with nasty weather in New York last night, Kyle Kendrick came out and pitched one of his best games of the season. Like Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay did on the past two nights, Kendrick shut down the Mets, giving up just a single run as the Phillies manufactured three runs to beat the Mets for the second straight night.
Last night, Kyle Kendrick actually showed why he deserved to pitch for the Phillies this year. He hasn't had the best season, but he was rock solid last night. The only run he allowed was a home run off of the foul pole by Jose Reyes, and after that, Kendrick allowed just one more hit for the rest of the time he was pitching. It was a great effort by Kendrick, and the Phillies needed it. A loss would have pushed them to three games behind the Atlanta Braves, and with this win, the Phils are now percentage points ahead of the San Francisco Giants for first place in the Wild Card. Right now, that's good enough.
The bullpen was great last night as well. Chad Durbin took care of Jeff Francour in the seventh, and Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge shut the door in the eighth and ninth innings, with Lidge working a perfect ninth to pick up his sixth straight save. He's only allowed two hits during this run, and looks more and more like the Brad Lidge from two years ago, rather than the Brad Lidge from last year. That's the kind of pitching out of the bullpen that the Phillies are going to need though the rest of the season. The bullpen is the one weak spot on this team, and if they can get past that, then they are going to be a team that no one wants to play come October. Last night was a great showing of what can be done out of the pen, but it was just one game. Lidge is looking much better, but this needs to be done night in and night out. That's the only way this team is going to make another run.
Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino can catch a lot of flak for not being the table setters at the top of the lineup, but last night, they did everything that they're supposed to do and more. Rollins only reached base once, but he did so with two outs, and then stole second and third base before coming home on Victorino's RBI double. Two innings later, it was Victorino that singled and stole second. Placido Polanco drove him home with a single that put the Phillies on top for good. It doesn't happen every night, but when the top two men in the lineup can get on base and steal bases like that, it makes the Phillies an even more dangerous team on offense. The power is going to come back when Ryan Howard and Chase Utley return, but they need that speed at the top of the lineup. Sure, Rollins isn't going to ever post a .400 on base percentage, but when he does get on, he needs to do what he did against the Mets. He had Mike Pelfrey locked down with his motion last night, and was even telling the rest of the team how to get a good jump off of him and catcher Josh Thole. That is what a leader should do, and that's what this team has been doing ever since the two biggest bats left the lineup. The Phils have played as a team since then, and they've looked very good doing it.
The Phillies have the day off today, but start up their biggest series of the season on Tuesday as they take on the San Francisco Giants. Quite simply, this could make or break the season for the Phils in their next three games. Roy Oswalt (7-13, 3.34 ERA) gets the start on Tuesday against Barry Zito (8-6, 3.44 ERA).
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Phillie of the Week: August 8-14
It was another solid week for the Phillies, who went 4-2 and kept pace with the Braves in the National League East race. The Phils won two shutouts, and came back from a 9-2 hole in one game, but the offense doesn't get the crown this week. Instead, it goes to a man who made his first career start as a Phillie in Philadelphia. This week's Phillie of the Week is:
Roy Oswalt
In his start against the Dodgers at home this week, Oswalt showed why the Phillies traded for him. He picked up his first win as a Phil while throwing seven scoreless innings. He also struck out five while walking two. If he can pitch like that down the stretch, then the Phillies have one of the best three man rotations in baseball.
Roy Oswalt
In his start against the Dodgers at home this week, Oswalt showed why the Phillies traded for him. He picked up his first win as a Phil while throwing seven scoreless innings. He also struck out five while walking two. If he can pitch like that down the stretch, then the Phillies have one of the best three man rotations in baseball.
Phillies Recap: Phillies-4, Mets-0
Game Recap:
Roy Halladay pitched eight scoreless innings and scored the first run for the Phillies this year in Citi Field as the Phils took advantage of three New York errors to beat the Mets last night.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 1-4 with a run scored.
Placido Polanco went 2-5 and had the only RBI of the night for the Phils.
Jayson Werth went 1-4 and scored a run.
Shane Victorino was 2-4 and scored a run.
Roy Halladay pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing just four hits while striking out seven. He also went 1-3 at the plate with a run scored.
What went wrong?
Raul Ibanez was 0-5, making him 0-13 since his 18 game hitting streak ended.
Mike Sweeney was 0-4.
Wilson Valdez went 0-3 with a walk.
Ryan Madson pitched himself into trouble in the ninth, loading the bases with two hits and a hit batter before striking out Josh Thole to end the game.
Game Analysis:
It wasn't a pretty game by any means, but the Phillies finally scored a run in New York against the Mets. It took 38.2 innings, but they finally pushed one across. Who scored the run? Why, Roy Halladay of course. Halladay did a bit of everything last night, getting the first hit of the game for the Phillies, scoring their only earned run and pitching eight shutout innings on his way to his 15th win of the season. With the win, the Phillies get a game back from the Braves and move to two games back in the National League East.
The offense didn't have their best showing last night, but they took advantage of the mistakes that the Mets made in the field. New York committed three errors last night, and the Phillies scored three unearned runs because of them. Raul Ibanez hit a sure double play ball in the fifth inning, only to have Ruben Tejada throw the ball into the outfield. Jimmy Rollins scored on the play. An inning later, two runs scored when David Wright channelled the spirit of Bill Buckner, letting a Rollins ground ball go between his legs. It was that kind of night for the Mets, and the Phillies were happy to take advantage of the situation. The offense still didn't look as sharp as they did at the start of the month, but they at least put men on base last night. The Phils had nine hits and two walks, with most of them coming off of starter Pat Misch.
Of course, then there's Roy Halladay. Roy was simply Roy last night, pitching eight scoreless innings and keeping the Mets from even mounting much of an offensive threat. The only time New York got a runner to third against Halladay, he came back by getting a ground ball out and then striking out the next two batters to keep Jose Reyes stranded at third. Other than that, only one Met reached second base against Halladay, who won his fifth start in a row last night. After a bit of a rough patch, it certainly looks like Halladay's is back to being the ace of this staff. He's won five games in a row, has pitched seven innings or more in all five, and has allowed just seven runs in those five games, with five of them coming in a single game. It's simply amazing how well he's been pitching lately, and if you've noticed, the better Halladay has pitched, the better the Phillies have done in the standings. Now, if only they could score some runs when Cole Hamels is on the mound. That would be wonderful.
Tonight, the Phillies look to close out their series against the Mets with another win. Kyle Kendrick (7-5, 4.60 ERA) goes against Mike Pelfrey (11-6, 3.95 ERA).
Roy Halladay pitched eight scoreless innings and scored the first run for the Phillies this year in Citi Field as the Phils took advantage of three New York errors to beat the Mets last night.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 1-4 with a run scored.
Placido Polanco went 2-5 and had the only RBI of the night for the Phils.
Jayson Werth went 1-4 and scored a run.
Shane Victorino was 2-4 and scored a run.
Roy Halladay pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing just four hits while striking out seven. He also went 1-3 at the plate with a run scored.
What went wrong?
Raul Ibanez was 0-5, making him 0-13 since his 18 game hitting streak ended.
Mike Sweeney was 0-4.
Wilson Valdez went 0-3 with a walk.
Ryan Madson pitched himself into trouble in the ninth, loading the bases with two hits and a hit batter before striking out Josh Thole to end the game.
Game Analysis:
It wasn't a pretty game by any means, but the Phillies finally scored a run in New York against the Mets. It took 38.2 innings, but they finally pushed one across. Who scored the run? Why, Roy Halladay of course. Halladay did a bit of everything last night, getting the first hit of the game for the Phillies, scoring their only earned run and pitching eight shutout innings on his way to his 15th win of the season. With the win, the Phillies get a game back from the Braves and move to two games back in the National League East.
The offense didn't have their best showing last night, but they took advantage of the mistakes that the Mets made in the field. New York committed three errors last night, and the Phillies scored three unearned runs because of them. Raul Ibanez hit a sure double play ball in the fifth inning, only to have Ruben Tejada throw the ball into the outfield. Jimmy Rollins scored on the play. An inning later, two runs scored when David Wright channelled the spirit of Bill Buckner, letting a Rollins ground ball go between his legs. It was that kind of night for the Mets, and the Phillies were happy to take advantage of the situation. The offense still didn't look as sharp as they did at the start of the month, but they at least put men on base last night. The Phils had nine hits and two walks, with most of them coming off of starter Pat Misch.
Of course, then there's Roy Halladay. Roy was simply Roy last night, pitching eight scoreless innings and keeping the Mets from even mounting much of an offensive threat. The only time New York got a runner to third against Halladay, he came back by getting a ground ball out and then striking out the next two batters to keep Jose Reyes stranded at third. Other than that, only one Met reached second base against Halladay, who won his fifth start in a row last night. After a bit of a rough patch, it certainly looks like Halladay's is back to being the ace of this staff. He's won five games in a row, has pitched seven innings or more in all five, and has allowed just seven runs in those five games, with five of them coming in a single game. It's simply amazing how well he's been pitching lately, and if you've noticed, the better Halladay has pitched, the better the Phillies have done in the standings. Now, if only they could score some runs when Cole Hamels is on the mound. That would be wonderful.
Tonight, the Phillies look to close out their series against the Mets with another win. Kyle Kendrick (7-5, 4.60 ERA) goes against Mike Pelfrey (11-6, 3.95 ERA).
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Eagles Aftermath-Preseason Week 1: Eagles-28, Jaguars-27
What happened?
The Eagles played their first team offense and defense for the first quarter, and looked very good before squeaking out a win on a David Akers field goal with nine minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
The Good:
Kevin Kolb started his first preseason game as the number one quarterback, and looked good. He completed six of 11 passes for 95 yards. He also picked up 15 yards on the ground on two scrambles.
Michael Vick for most of the second quarter was solid. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 119 yards, and also rushed the ball six times for 50 yards and a touchdown.
DeSean Jackson was outstanding while he was in the game. He caught two passes for 47 yards and had a 17 yard rushing gain as well.
Jeremy Maclin picked up two catches for 32 yards.
Eldra Buckley had a good second half, rushing for 17 yards on four carries and catching two passes for 24 yards.
Riley Cooper made an impact in his first preseason game, catching three passes for 61 yards, including a 46 yard bomb in the second quarter.
The first team defense looked great as a unit. They held the Jaguars without a first down. Maurice Jones-Drew ended up with six total yards, and David Garrard looked flustered out there.
The Eagles held the ball on offense for over 40 minutes.
David Akers was 5-5 in field goal attempts.
The Bad:
Michael Vick had his poor moments as well. He fumbled twice, losing one of them, and also threw an interception in the second quarter that led to a Jacksonville field goal.
The Eagles managed to get into the red zone on their first five drives...and only got one touchdown out of those.
The offensive line struggled at times, forcing Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick to scramble.
The Ugly:
Did anyone else see the second team secondary? They made Luke McCown look like a superstar quarterback. Even Joselio Hanson looked lost out there for a lot of the game. Jacksonville's three touchdowns all came on passes of 30 or more yards.
The Breakdown:
Well, it was only the first preseason game of the year, but Kevin Kolb looked comfortable as the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. All you had to do was see his first pass of the game to know what the difference is between him and Donovan McNabb. Instead of the pass being behind DeSean Jackson or at his feet, Kolb managed to hit Jackson in stride, and the wideout took it for a 21 yard gain. The first team offense looked excellent in the two and a half drives that they were in, and the second team offense, led by Michael Vick, was solid through the first quarter.
There were a few problems, though. Kolb was great in getting the Eagles down into the red zone, but he struggled a bit when they got down there. He also locked in on a single receiver at times, and was lucky that at least one of the passes wasn't picked off. That will decrease with more starting time, and other than that Kolb was very good. He even broke two scrambles when the pressure got to him, and all in all, there was nothing to complain about on his end. LeSean McCoy could have done a little bit more, but it was the first preseason game, so I'm not going to complain much about the first team offense. They got points in both drives that they were on the field, so it was a success.
Even better was the first team offense. In his first game back from injury, Stewart Bradley looked good, and Ernie Sims was around the ball while he was in there as well. The Eagles kept Maurice Jones-Drew from recording a single rushing yard, and held him to six receiving yards on the night. It was exactly what people wanted to see from the Eagles on defense, and they looked good. The first team forced the Jaguars to go three and out on both of their drives that they took part in, and then the second team took over.
The second team defense had some issues, especially in the secondary. Joselio Hanson got beat on a double move by Troy Williamson and gave up a 73 yard touchdown, and Luke McCown had a field day against the Eagles in the second and third quarter. After seeing open field tackles by Ellis Hobbs and Asante Samuel on the first two drives, the second team secondary couldn't live up to those expectations. Hanson is supposed to be competing for a starting job, not getting burned by a wide receiver who washed out in Minnesota and was almost gone in Jacksonville, too. Brandon Graham looked ok in his first game, playing with the first and second team defense. He got pressure on the quarterback, but also needs to learn to play his position a bit better in the NFL. That will come in time, but for what I saw last night, he's going to be good.
Look, it was the first preseason game of the year. It doesn't mean much. Most of the players that were playing in the second half won't have a job next week, but some of them will. Riley Cooper looks like someone that the Eagles are going to keep around for a while, and Chad Hall is someone that is willing to do anything to make this team, and the way he's going, he will. Sure, it's preseason, and it's very, very early, but a win is a win, and seeing what I saw last night makes me very happy.
The Eagles played their first team offense and defense for the first quarter, and looked very good before squeaking out a win on a David Akers field goal with nine minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
The Good:
Kevin Kolb started his first preseason game as the number one quarterback, and looked good. He completed six of 11 passes for 95 yards. He also picked up 15 yards on the ground on two scrambles.
Michael Vick for most of the second quarter was solid. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 119 yards, and also rushed the ball six times for 50 yards and a touchdown.
DeSean Jackson was outstanding while he was in the game. He caught two passes for 47 yards and had a 17 yard rushing gain as well.
Jeremy Maclin picked up two catches for 32 yards.
Eldra Buckley had a good second half, rushing for 17 yards on four carries and catching two passes for 24 yards.
Riley Cooper made an impact in his first preseason game, catching three passes for 61 yards, including a 46 yard bomb in the second quarter.
The first team defense looked great as a unit. They held the Jaguars without a first down. Maurice Jones-Drew ended up with six total yards, and David Garrard looked flustered out there.
The Eagles held the ball on offense for over 40 minutes.
David Akers was 5-5 in field goal attempts.
The Bad:
Michael Vick had his poor moments as well. He fumbled twice, losing one of them, and also threw an interception in the second quarter that led to a Jacksonville field goal.
The Eagles managed to get into the red zone on their first five drives...and only got one touchdown out of those.
The offensive line struggled at times, forcing Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick to scramble.
The Ugly:
Did anyone else see the second team secondary? They made Luke McCown look like a superstar quarterback. Even Joselio Hanson looked lost out there for a lot of the game. Jacksonville's three touchdowns all came on passes of 30 or more yards.
The Breakdown:
Well, it was only the first preseason game of the year, but Kevin Kolb looked comfortable as the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. All you had to do was see his first pass of the game to know what the difference is between him and Donovan McNabb. Instead of the pass being behind DeSean Jackson or at his feet, Kolb managed to hit Jackson in stride, and the wideout took it for a 21 yard gain. The first team offense looked excellent in the two and a half drives that they were in, and the second team offense, led by Michael Vick, was solid through the first quarter.
There were a few problems, though. Kolb was great in getting the Eagles down into the red zone, but he struggled a bit when they got down there. He also locked in on a single receiver at times, and was lucky that at least one of the passes wasn't picked off. That will decrease with more starting time, and other than that Kolb was very good. He even broke two scrambles when the pressure got to him, and all in all, there was nothing to complain about on his end. LeSean McCoy could have done a little bit more, but it was the first preseason game, so I'm not going to complain much about the first team offense. They got points in both drives that they were on the field, so it was a success.
Even better was the first team offense. In his first game back from injury, Stewart Bradley looked good, and Ernie Sims was around the ball while he was in there as well. The Eagles kept Maurice Jones-Drew from recording a single rushing yard, and held him to six receiving yards on the night. It was exactly what people wanted to see from the Eagles on defense, and they looked good. The first team forced the Jaguars to go three and out on both of their drives that they took part in, and then the second team took over.
The second team defense had some issues, especially in the secondary. Joselio Hanson got beat on a double move by Troy Williamson and gave up a 73 yard touchdown, and Luke McCown had a field day against the Eagles in the second and third quarter. After seeing open field tackles by Ellis Hobbs and Asante Samuel on the first two drives, the second team secondary couldn't live up to those expectations. Hanson is supposed to be competing for a starting job, not getting burned by a wide receiver who washed out in Minnesota and was almost gone in Jacksonville, too. Brandon Graham looked ok in his first game, playing with the first and second team defense. He got pressure on the quarterback, but also needs to learn to play his position a bit better in the NFL. That will come in time, but for what I saw last night, he's going to be good.
Look, it was the first preseason game of the year. It doesn't mean much. Most of the players that were playing in the second half won't have a job next week, but some of them will. Riley Cooper looks like someone that the Eagles are going to keep around for a while, and Chad Hall is someone that is willing to do anything to make this team, and the way he's going, he will. Sure, it's preseason, and it's very, very early, but a win is a win, and seeing what I saw last night makes me very happy.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Phillies Recap: Mets-1, Phillies-0
Game Recap:
R.A. Dickey pitched a one hit complete game, out-dueling Cole Hamels, who pitched a complete game as well, to give the Mets the win in the first game of this three game series.
What went right?
This won't take long.
Cole Hamels pitched excellent tonight, but got the loss due to lack of run support. He allowed a single run in eight innings on five hits. He walked two and struck out eight. Oh, he also had the only hit of the night for the Phillies.
What went wrong?
I'm not going to go through each and every player, but other than Cole Hamels, Wilson Valdez was the only Phillie to reach base, and he walked. The rest of the team, Valdez included, was 0-26.
Game Analysis:
Cole Hamels deserves better than this, he really does. Even with his 7-9 record now on the season, Hamels has an ERA of 3.33. That's good enough to be tied for 15th in the National League right now, and no pitcher above him on that list has a losing record like Hamels does. In his last two starts, he's been on the wrong end of 1-0 games at the hands of the Mets, but the Phillies haven't been giving him any run support for most of the year. Since the All Star Break, Hamels hasn't won a single game, but the most runs he's given up in one start is four, and the Phillies ended up winning that game in extra innings.
The problem when he pitches isn't with him. In fact, if Cole Hamels can keep pitching like this, then there's nothing to worry about with him down the stretch. What is a problem is the lack of runs that the Phillies are providing him. In his last seven starts, the Phillies have given him nine runs of support while he's been on the mound, and four of those runs came in a single game. There's no answer for why the Phillies don't hit with Hamels on the mound, but something has got to be done. Tonight was another great example of how far he's come as a pitcher this year. Twice, Hamels had runners on third base with less than two outs, and both times, he managed to get out of the inning without a run crossing the plate. The only time that he did give up a run was when Shane Victorino misread a ball off the bat of David Wright, and Raul Ibanez couldn't come down with the Carlos Beltran shot that followed.
You have to wonder if this lack of support is starting to get to Hamels. Cole has never been one to hide his emotions when things aren't going his way, and with the struggles that this offense has had of late, there has to be something brewing in the back of his mind. Everyone knows that Cole should have almost, if not as many, wins as Roy Halladay does, but with the Phillies giving him little or no run support, it's impossible to win games. When you can hold the New York Mets to one run in back to back starts, you're doing something right. The only problem is that the Phillies were shutout in both of those games, leaving Hamels with the loss and an empty feeling in his stomach.
Right now, the Phillies just have to figure out how to score runs in New York. The Phils have been shutout in their last four games in Citi Field, and something has to change during the rest of this series. It doesn't matter if it's just one run that scores, just something has to be done. This team knows they can play well against the Mets, but something is keeping them from scoring. A lot of it has to do with the New York pitching, since R.A. Dickey was great tonight, just as he was back in May against the Phillies, but some of it has to be coming from the Phils. They have to get over that hurdle and score some freaking runs.
Tomorrow night, Roy Halladay (14-8, 2.34 ERA) goes for his 15th win of the season. For the Mets, Pat Misch will be making his first start of the season.
R.A. Dickey pitched a one hit complete game, out-dueling Cole Hamels, who pitched a complete game as well, to give the Mets the win in the first game of this three game series.
What went right?
This won't take long.
Cole Hamels pitched excellent tonight, but got the loss due to lack of run support. He allowed a single run in eight innings on five hits. He walked two and struck out eight. Oh, he also had the only hit of the night for the Phillies.
What went wrong?
I'm not going to go through each and every player, but other than Cole Hamels, Wilson Valdez was the only Phillie to reach base, and he walked. The rest of the team, Valdez included, was 0-26.
Game Analysis:
Cole Hamels deserves better than this, he really does. Even with his 7-9 record now on the season, Hamels has an ERA of 3.33. That's good enough to be tied for 15th in the National League right now, and no pitcher above him on that list has a losing record like Hamels does. In his last two starts, he's been on the wrong end of 1-0 games at the hands of the Mets, but the Phillies haven't been giving him any run support for most of the year. Since the All Star Break, Hamels hasn't won a single game, but the most runs he's given up in one start is four, and the Phillies ended up winning that game in extra innings.
The problem when he pitches isn't with him. In fact, if Cole Hamels can keep pitching like this, then there's nothing to worry about with him down the stretch. What is a problem is the lack of runs that the Phillies are providing him. In his last seven starts, the Phillies have given him nine runs of support while he's been on the mound, and four of those runs came in a single game. There's no answer for why the Phillies don't hit with Hamels on the mound, but something has got to be done. Tonight was another great example of how far he's come as a pitcher this year. Twice, Hamels had runners on third base with less than two outs, and both times, he managed to get out of the inning without a run crossing the plate. The only time that he did give up a run was when Shane Victorino misread a ball off the bat of David Wright, and Raul Ibanez couldn't come down with the Carlos Beltran shot that followed.
You have to wonder if this lack of support is starting to get to Hamels. Cole has never been one to hide his emotions when things aren't going his way, and with the struggles that this offense has had of late, there has to be something brewing in the back of his mind. Everyone knows that Cole should have almost, if not as many, wins as Roy Halladay does, but with the Phillies giving him little or no run support, it's impossible to win games. When you can hold the New York Mets to one run in back to back starts, you're doing something right. The only problem is that the Phillies were shutout in both of those games, leaving Hamels with the loss and an empty feeling in his stomach.
Right now, the Phillies just have to figure out how to score runs in New York. The Phils have been shutout in their last four games in Citi Field, and something has to change during the rest of this series. It doesn't matter if it's just one run that scores, just something has to be done. This team knows they can play well against the Mets, but something is keeping them from scoring. A lot of it has to do with the New York pitching, since R.A. Dickey was great tonight, just as he was back in May against the Phillies, but some of it has to be coming from the Phils. They have to get over that hurdle and score some freaking runs.
Tomorrow night, Roy Halladay (14-8, 2.34 ERA) goes for his 15th win of the season. For the Mets, Pat Misch will be making his first start of the season.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-10, Dodgers-9
Game Recap:
Down 9-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Phillies scored eight runs in two innings, including four off of Jonathan Broxton, to give them the series win over the Dodgers.
What went right?
Placido Polanco was 2-4 with two runs scored.
Mike Sweeney went 2-4 and scored twice.
Jayson Werth went 2-4, scored three times and had two RBI.
Ben Francisco was 1-5, but drove in two and scored twice.
Carlos Ruiz went 3-5, had the game winning double, scored once and had three RBI.
Wilson freaking Valdez went 2-4 with an RBI.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins walked twice, but went 0-3.
Raul Ibanez was 0-5, ending his hitting streak at 18 games.
Do I have to mention the pitching? Ok, I guess I do.
Joe Blanton had a horrible night, allowing four runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings. He also walked four and struck out three.
Chad Durbin did even worse, allowing two runs on two hits in a little over an inning.
J.C. Romero managed to continue his run at sucking, giving up two unearned runs in two thirds of an inning.
Jose Contreras gave up three hits, but only allowed a run, so that's progress, I guess.
Game Analysis:
Wow. Just wow. There's no simple way to explain tonight's game, but I'm going to try. Simply put, this might be the ignition for the rest of the season for the Phillies. The Phils were down seven runs with just six outs to play, but managed to score four times in the bottom of the eighth, and then managed to win the game without recording a single out in the bottom of the ninth inning. Sure, Casey Blake let a sure double play ball go through his legs, but that's not what matters tonight. What matters is that the Phillies showed that same heart and determination that has gotten them to back to back World Series.
Of course, there was some bad pitching tonight. Joe Blanton didn't make it out of the sixth inning, and only recorded two 1-2-3 innings while he was on the mound. It was typical Blanton tonight. He just hasn't had his best stuff this year, and while the offense has been able to bail him out at times, he has got to settle down at least of the rest of the season. Of course, the bullpen didn't do much better tonight. Every last pitcher that entered the game, save for Danys Baez, allowed a run to cross the plate, and J.C. Romero allowed a run to score for the fourth straight game. Romero has got to do better than that. It's the only way that the Phillies are going to be able to pitch well at the end of the season. For the last year and a half, he's been outstanding, but lately, he's been horrible. Romero looks more like the pitcher the Red Sox put on waivers than the pitcher the Phillies plucked from the scrap heap and salvaged. That has to change.
Even with the pitching issues tonight, the Phillies still managed one of their best comebacks in recent history. Clayton Kershaw kept the offense quiet, but once he left the game, the Phils worked over the Los Angeles bullpen. Raul Ibanez saw his hitting streak come to an end, and Jimmy Rollins didn't record a base hit, but the rest of the offense was on point in the later innings. Mike Sweeney hasn't played that much since coming over from the Mariners, but when he has, he's made an impact. His two runs scored tonight were clutch, as were the at-bats from Jayson Werth, Ben Francisco and Carlos Ruiz in the late innings. Werth scored three times and drove in two, while Francisco had the biggest at-bat of the game, driving a ball between the legs of Casey Blake for a two run single. Even though it was scored an error, without that situation, it's likely that the Phillies would have lost tonight. Carlos Ruiz won the game with a double right after the error, so the Phils caught a break tonight. It doesn't matter, though. At this time of the season, every run and each win matters, so it doesn't matter how it happened. It just matters that it happened.
This win tonight showed the heart and determination that the Phillies have shown over the last few years, only at another level. When a team is down by seven runs headed into the eighth inning, the game should be over. In 98 out of 100 cases, the game is over. With the Phillies of late, however, the game is not over. The Phils have taken Jonathan Broxton to the woodshed twice in the playoffs, and now they've done it in the regular season. The only thing that was missing from the end of tonight's game was Matt Stairs. After scuffling through much of the season, tonight was a game that this team can look back on and see as a turning point. At this moment, the Phillies are just two games back of the Braves in the National League East, and a single game back of the San Francisco Giants for the Wild Card. This showing tonight is exactly what the fans have been expecting all year. These are the Phillies that show heart, that never-say-die attitude, and the level of play that we've gotten used to over the last few years. It's a good feeling to see them back again.
Tomorrow, the Phils head to New York to take on the Mets. Cole Hamels (7-8, 3.45 ERA) can hopefully get his eighth win of the year. He'll take on R.A. Dickey (7-5, 2.65 ERA).
Down 9-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Phillies scored eight runs in two innings, including four off of Jonathan Broxton, to give them the series win over the Dodgers.
What went right?
Placido Polanco was 2-4 with two runs scored.
Mike Sweeney went 2-4 and scored twice.
Jayson Werth went 2-4, scored three times and had two RBI.
Ben Francisco was 1-5, but drove in two and scored twice.
Carlos Ruiz went 3-5, had the game winning double, scored once and had three RBI.
Wilson freaking Valdez went 2-4 with an RBI.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins walked twice, but went 0-3.
Raul Ibanez was 0-5, ending his hitting streak at 18 games.
Do I have to mention the pitching? Ok, I guess I do.
Joe Blanton had a horrible night, allowing four runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings. He also walked four and struck out three.
Chad Durbin did even worse, allowing two runs on two hits in a little over an inning.
J.C. Romero managed to continue his run at sucking, giving up two unearned runs in two thirds of an inning.
Jose Contreras gave up three hits, but only allowed a run, so that's progress, I guess.
Game Analysis:
Wow. Just wow. There's no simple way to explain tonight's game, but I'm going to try. Simply put, this might be the ignition for the rest of the season for the Phillies. The Phils were down seven runs with just six outs to play, but managed to score four times in the bottom of the eighth, and then managed to win the game without recording a single out in the bottom of the ninth inning. Sure, Casey Blake let a sure double play ball go through his legs, but that's not what matters tonight. What matters is that the Phillies showed that same heart and determination that has gotten them to back to back World Series.
Of course, there was some bad pitching tonight. Joe Blanton didn't make it out of the sixth inning, and only recorded two 1-2-3 innings while he was on the mound. It was typical Blanton tonight. He just hasn't had his best stuff this year, and while the offense has been able to bail him out at times, he has got to settle down at least of the rest of the season. Of course, the bullpen didn't do much better tonight. Every last pitcher that entered the game, save for Danys Baez, allowed a run to cross the plate, and J.C. Romero allowed a run to score for the fourth straight game. Romero has got to do better than that. It's the only way that the Phillies are going to be able to pitch well at the end of the season. For the last year and a half, he's been outstanding, but lately, he's been horrible. Romero looks more like the pitcher the Red Sox put on waivers than the pitcher the Phillies plucked from the scrap heap and salvaged. That has to change.
Even with the pitching issues tonight, the Phillies still managed one of their best comebacks in recent history. Clayton Kershaw kept the offense quiet, but once he left the game, the Phils worked over the Los Angeles bullpen. Raul Ibanez saw his hitting streak come to an end, and Jimmy Rollins didn't record a base hit, but the rest of the offense was on point in the later innings. Mike Sweeney hasn't played that much since coming over from the Mariners, but when he has, he's made an impact. His two runs scored tonight were clutch, as were the at-bats from Jayson Werth, Ben Francisco and Carlos Ruiz in the late innings. Werth scored three times and drove in two, while Francisco had the biggest at-bat of the game, driving a ball between the legs of Casey Blake for a two run single. Even though it was scored an error, without that situation, it's likely that the Phillies would have lost tonight. Carlos Ruiz won the game with a double right after the error, so the Phils caught a break tonight. It doesn't matter, though. At this time of the season, every run and each win matters, so it doesn't matter how it happened. It just matters that it happened.
This win tonight showed the heart and determination that the Phillies have shown over the last few years, only at another level. When a team is down by seven runs headed into the eighth inning, the game should be over. In 98 out of 100 cases, the game is over. With the Phillies of late, however, the game is not over. The Phils have taken Jonathan Broxton to the woodshed twice in the playoffs, and now they've done it in the regular season. The only thing that was missing from the end of tonight's game was Matt Stairs. After scuffling through much of the season, tonight was a game that this team can look back on and see as a turning point. At this moment, the Phillies are just two games back of the Braves in the National League East, and a single game back of the San Francisco Giants for the Wild Card. This showing tonight is exactly what the fans have been expecting all year. These are the Phillies that show heart, that never-say-die attitude, and the level of play that we've gotten used to over the last few years. It's a good feeling to see them back again.
Tomorrow, the Phils head to New York to take on the Mets. Cole Hamels (7-8, 3.45 ERA) can hopefully get his eighth win of the year. He'll take on R.A. Dickey (7-5, 2.65 ERA).
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-2, Dodgers-0
Game Recap:
Roy Oswalt won his first game as a Phillie, pitching seven innings of shutout baseball, while Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge did the rest to keep the Phils two and a half games out of first in the National League East and half a game out of the wild card.
What went right?
Raul Ibanez extended his hitting streak to 18 games, going 2-3 with a double and an RBI.
Placido Polanco went 1-4 and scored a run.
Jimmy Rollins was 1-4 with a stolen base.
Domonic Brown went 0-3, but drove in a run, giving him 11 RBI in 13 games that he's played in.
Wilson freaking Valdez was 1-3 with a triple.
Roy Oswalt pitched his best game as a member of the Phillies, picking up the win while throwing seven shutout innings. He allowed five hits and walked two while striking out five.
Brad Lidge recorded his fifth save of the month, striking out two in a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
What went wrong?
Carlos Ruiz was 0-4.
Ross Gload got hurt when he strained his groin in the sixth inning.
Honestly, that's about it. The game was a pitcher's duel.
Game Analysis:
After the Dodgers smacked the Phillies around for 15 runs last night, things didn't look good for the Phils. However, Roy Oswalt looked like the pitcher the Phillies traded for, and the bullpen did their job for two innings as the Phillies were able to take the second game of their series against the Dodgers.
This was the Roy Oswalt that people were expecting to see when the Phillies traded for him. After losing his first start and getting a no decision in his second, Oswalt hadn't exactly lived up to expectations yet. Tonight, in his first start in Philadelphia, he did. Oswalt pitched like the star he was in Houston, keeping Los Angeles from scoring during his seven innings of work. He got into a little bit of trouble, but was able to pitch out of it. This outing tonight is exactly what the Phillies need from Oswalt. He hasn't gotten much run support from the offense yet, but if he can pitch like this for the rest of the season, he's not going to need it. Plus, the offense will do their job during his starts. It just hasn't happened yet.
Once Oswalt left the game, the bullpen did their job, and they did it well. Ryan Madson pitched a scoreless eighth inning, and Brad Lidge worked a perfect ninth inning for his fifth save of the month. Ever since August started, Lidge has looked like a better pitcher. He's saved five games in a row, and hasn't given up a run yet this month. When you add in the facts that he's only given up two hits and no walks while striking out six, it's only better. This is the Brad Lidge that the Phillies need to close out games. If he can keep pitching like this, the Phillies are going to get even closer to a playoff appearance for the fourth season in a row. I'm not saying this is going to look good for the rest of the season, but at least at the moment, Lidge looks excellent.
The offense couldn't get many runs across the plate tonight, but the two that scored were all that were needed. Raul Ibanez is simply on fire right now. He has an 18 game hitting streak, and his batting average is .277. Compared to where he was hitting just two months ago, this is an amazing improvement. Domonic Brown isn't hitting the ball great right now, but he had four RBI and his first major league home run last night, and he drove in another run tonight. So far, he has 11 RBI in 13 games, which is very nice, but his batting average is struggling. He'll pick things up as he goes along, but with Shane Victorino coming back soon, I don't know how much time he's going to get, or if he's going to get sent back down to Triple-A. It's all up to Charlie at this point. I think he should stay, but that's only one opinion.
It wasn't the best game out there tonight, but it was a win, and that's all that matters. The last few weeks have been good to the Phillies, and that's with Chase Utley, Shane Victorino and Ryan Howard on the disabled list. Luckily, Victorino should be back soon, and Utley and Howard should be following suit shortly after. If the Phillies can get healthy, they are going to be a team to look out for at the end of the season. They're too good to just fade away.
Tomorrow, Joe Blanton (4-6, 5.65 ERA) goes for the Phillies. Clayton Kershaw (10-7, 3.19 ERA) pitches for the Dodgers in the final game of this series.
Roy Oswalt won his first game as a Phillie, pitching seven innings of shutout baseball, while Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge did the rest to keep the Phils two and a half games out of first in the National League East and half a game out of the wild card.
What went right?
Raul Ibanez extended his hitting streak to 18 games, going 2-3 with a double and an RBI.
Placido Polanco went 1-4 and scored a run.
Jimmy Rollins was 1-4 with a stolen base.
Domonic Brown went 0-3, but drove in a run, giving him 11 RBI in 13 games that he's played in.
Wilson freaking Valdez was 1-3 with a triple.
Roy Oswalt pitched his best game as a member of the Phillies, picking up the win while throwing seven shutout innings. He allowed five hits and walked two while striking out five.
Brad Lidge recorded his fifth save of the month, striking out two in a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
What went wrong?
Carlos Ruiz was 0-4.
Ross Gload got hurt when he strained his groin in the sixth inning.
Honestly, that's about it. The game was a pitcher's duel.
Game Analysis:
After the Dodgers smacked the Phillies around for 15 runs last night, things didn't look good for the Phils. However, Roy Oswalt looked like the pitcher the Phillies traded for, and the bullpen did their job for two innings as the Phillies were able to take the second game of their series against the Dodgers.
This was the Roy Oswalt that people were expecting to see when the Phillies traded for him. After losing his first start and getting a no decision in his second, Oswalt hadn't exactly lived up to expectations yet. Tonight, in his first start in Philadelphia, he did. Oswalt pitched like the star he was in Houston, keeping Los Angeles from scoring during his seven innings of work. He got into a little bit of trouble, but was able to pitch out of it. This outing tonight is exactly what the Phillies need from Oswalt. He hasn't gotten much run support from the offense yet, but if he can pitch like this for the rest of the season, he's not going to need it. Plus, the offense will do their job during his starts. It just hasn't happened yet.
Once Oswalt left the game, the bullpen did their job, and they did it well. Ryan Madson pitched a scoreless eighth inning, and Brad Lidge worked a perfect ninth inning for his fifth save of the month. Ever since August started, Lidge has looked like a better pitcher. He's saved five games in a row, and hasn't given up a run yet this month. When you add in the facts that he's only given up two hits and no walks while striking out six, it's only better. This is the Brad Lidge that the Phillies need to close out games. If he can keep pitching like this, the Phillies are going to get even closer to a playoff appearance for the fourth season in a row. I'm not saying this is going to look good for the rest of the season, but at least at the moment, Lidge looks excellent.
The offense couldn't get many runs across the plate tonight, but the two that scored were all that were needed. Raul Ibanez is simply on fire right now. He has an 18 game hitting streak, and his batting average is .277. Compared to where he was hitting just two months ago, this is an amazing improvement. Domonic Brown isn't hitting the ball great right now, but he had four RBI and his first major league home run last night, and he drove in another run tonight. So far, he has 11 RBI in 13 games, which is very nice, but his batting average is struggling. He'll pick things up as he goes along, but with Shane Victorino coming back soon, I don't know how much time he's going to get, or if he's going to get sent back down to Triple-A. It's all up to Charlie at this point. I think he should stay, but that's only one opinion.
It wasn't the best game out there tonight, but it was a win, and that's all that matters. The last few weeks have been good to the Phillies, and that's with Chase Utley, Shane Victorino and Ryan Howard on the disabled list. Luckily, Victorino should be back soon, and Utley and Howard should be following suit shortly after. If the Phillies can get healthy, they are going to be a team to look out for at the end of the season. They're too good to just fade away.
Tomorrow, Joe Blanton (4-6, 5.65 ERA) goes for the Phillies. Clayton Kershaw (10-7, 3.19 ERA) pitches for the Dodgers in the final game of this series.
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