Game Recap:
Roy Halladay pitched a complete game, two hit shutout to give the Phillies their fourth straight National League East championship.
What went right?
Placido Polanco went 3-4, scored twice and drove in a run.
Chase Utley was 1-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Jayson Werth was 3-5, drove in four, scored twice and hit a solo home run.
Raul Ibanez was 2-4.
Carlos Ruiz went 3-4 with two doubles and an RBI.
Roy Halladay was the man last night, pitching his ninth complete game of the season. He shut out the Nationals, allowing just two hits while striking out six.
What went wrong?
Last night, nothing went wrong. The Phillies not only clinched the National League East, but they also locked up the best record in the National League, and with it, they have home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Game Analysis:
This feeling never gets old, it really doesn't. For the fourth straight season, the Philadelphia Phillies have won the National League East. This year, it didn't take until the last or second to last game of the season to wrap everything up, but there was still a dramatic comeback and an incredible collapse that helped get the Phillies to this point.
Apparently, the rumors of Roy Halladay's demise were a little bit exaggerated. After struggling in his last few starts, Halladay came out last night in his biggest game as a Phillie and delivered from the word go. Two and a half hours and 97 pitches later, Halladay had his fourth shutout of the season, and he finished things off with a strikeout of Danny Espinosa to win his 21st game of the season. There's nothing else that can be said about Roy Halladay this year. He's been everything that the Phillies wanted him to be, and even he's had to pick himself up during this season. At one point, Halladay had a 10-8 record, but since then, the big right hander has gone 11-2. He's 5-0 in September and is one of the biggest reasons that the Phillies are back into the playoffs for the fourth straight season.
Even the offense came to play last night. Jayson Werth got things started in the second inning with a solo home run, and that would have been enough the way Halladay was pitching last night, but the Phils weren't done yet. Werth drove in two more in the sixth inning to chase John Lannan out of the game, and Carlos Ruiz hit his first double of the game two batters later to give the Phillies a 4-0 lead. Then came the ninth inning, where the Phils didn't mind the rain and added four more insurance runs to put the final nail in Washington's coffin and seal up the National League East crown.
The bats last night showed how this team has got to play during the playoffs. While Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt can shut down any opposing offense, the Phillies still have to score runs as well, and San Francisco and San Diego have two of the best pitching staffs in the National League. The offense has got to be able to score some runs if they have to play one of those teams, because there is a chance that any game in either of those series could end up with a 1-0 or a 2-1 score, and the Phillies don't want to be on the short end of that.
For now, at least, there's nothing left to do during the regular season but celebrate. The Phillies have clinched the National League East once again, and this year they've done it with one of the hottest stretches that anyone can remember. Back in July, most people had sworn off this team and were waiting for training camp to start. Now, everyone is back on board and ready to see another long trip into the playoffs. These next five games just have to be played out, but you shouldn't expect that much from the Phils. They have home field wrapped up, and the big three will just get a little more action in before the playoffs start. The Phillies have earned the right to pick when they'll play in the NLDS, and can line their rotation up perfectly. All that's left to do now in the regular season is for the team go down to Atlanta and retire Bobby Cox.
Four division titles in a row...no other Phillies team has ever been able to do that. It's a great feeling.
Tonight, Roy Oswalt (13-13, 2.80 ERA) goes for the Phils against Jason Marquis (2-9, 7.18 ERA).
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Eagles Aftermath: Eagles-28, Jaguars-3
What happened?
Michael Vick started his first game as the official starting quarterback of the Eagles and did well, throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for another. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia defense was excellent, giving up just three points and holding David Garrard to just 105 yards passing.
The Good:
Michael Vick played well in his second straight game, completing 17 of 31 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed the ball four times for 30 yards and a touchdown.
DeSean Jackson caught five passes for 153 yards and a touchdown.
Jeremy Maclin had four catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns.
Asante Samuel had his first interception of the year, and the secondary did a good job keeping the Jacksonville receivers under wraps. The Jaguars finished with just 105 passing yards.
The defense got pressure on David Garrard throughout the game. The Eagles recorded six sacks and 11 hits on Garrard, led by Trent Cole with two. Nate Allen also recorded his first career sack.
The Eagles held the Jaguars to 184 total yards.
The Bad:
The Eagles still looked sloppy out there, committing seven penalties that cost them 84 yards.
The offensive line looked better, but still had some problems, allowing Michael Vick to get sacked three times.
The Ugly:
Nope, nothing to see here.
The Breakdown:
It's only been two starts, but so far, Michael Vick at least looks like he's one of the best quarterbacks not only in the NFC East, but the NFL right now. So far this season, Vick has thrown for 750 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions while rushing for almost 200 yards and a touchdown. While I still don't like the way that the Eagles went about handling the starting quarterback issues, you can't argue with the results at all. The Eagles are 2-0 with Vick under center, and they've gotten better in both games.
The spotlight was shining brightly on Vick yesterday, and he not only played like he had in Atlanta, but he looked better than he did when he was a Falcon. The Jaguars attempted to keep Vick in the pocket for the majority of the game and make him beat them with his arm, and he was able to do that. Vick stood his ground in the pocket, ran when he had to, and made mostly smart throws. DeSean Jackson has quickly become Vick's favorite target, scoring on another long touchdown pass. Jackson's speed makes him the most dangerous weapon that the Eagles have on offense, but Jeremy Maclin might be the best target that Vick has closer to the goal line. Maclin scored twice this week, including a touchdown in the final seconds of the first half for the second straight week, and he has four touchdowns on the season already. Maclin hasn't necessarily gotten the yards during games yet, but the touchdowns are coming in bunches right now, and that's a good thing.
Vick didn't have the freedom to run as much as he used to, but the running game was effective when it was used. LeSean McCoy didn't have the big runs that he had against the Lions, but he still averaged 4.9 yards a carry during the Jacksonville game. The Eagles still need to establish their running game more and more, especially with Vick under center, but they need to do more with McCoy and Mike Bell, as well as Vick. It still was troubling that the Eagles couldn't convert a fourth down and one midway through the second quarter. That's more of the same from last year, and that's certainly something that needs to change. The offensive line has to step up as well, and the only problem is that I don't know that they can do that. The line has just been bad this year, despite a decent enough good game this week, it doesn't make them that much better.
The best part about this game was the way that the defense played. Sure, Jacksonville doesn't have the best offense in the world, but the Jaguars still have Maurice Jones-Drew, and despite him picking up 88 yards on 22 carries, he was the only part of the Jacksonville offense that wasn't complete shut down by the Philadelphia defense. David Garrard was hassled all game long, and though he was sacked six times, there were a few times that he just managed to get away from the pass rush. Garrard finished with just 105 yards on 13 completions, and looked more like the quarterback that struggled against San Diego last week than the guy that lit up the Broncos in Week 1. When the defense is playing as well as they did yesterday, then they're going to be hard to beat.
So far, it's been pretty good for the Eagles. They're sitting at 2-1 and in first place in the NFC East by a game over the other three teams. However, the two teams that they have beaten have a combined total of one win, and the Lions came damn close to making an improbable comeback. The one game that they did play against a playoff caliber team, they lost. No one is going to mistake the Lions and Jaguars for the Packers or Steelers, but wins are wins. Teams need to be able to beat teams that are worse than them, and that's what the Lions and Jaguars are. The Eagles aren't a great team yet, but they do look like a good one right now. They just need to be tested against some of the better teams in the league. That starts next week, despite the record that Washington has. This upcoming game has more emotion behind it than any game that the Eagles have played in recent history.
Everyone had better buckle up...this week is going to be one hell of a ride.
Michael Vick started his first game as the official starting quarterback of the Eagles and did well, throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for another. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia defense was excellent, giving up just three points and holding David Garrard to just 105 yards passing.
The Good:
Michael Vick played well in his second straight game, completing 17 of 31 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed the ball four times for 30 yards and a touchdown.
DeSean Jackson caught five passes for 153 yards and a touchdown.
Jeremy Maclin had four catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns.
Asante Samuel had his first interception of the year, and the secondary did a good job keeping the Jacksonville receivers under wraps. The Jaguars finished with just 105 passing yards.
The defense got pressure on David Garrard throughout the game. The Eagles recorded six sacks and 11 hits on Garrard, led by Trent Cole with two. Nate Allen also recorded his first career sack.
The Eagles held the Jaguars to 184 total yards.
The Bad:
The Eagles still looked sloppy out there, committing seven penalties that cost them 84 yards.
The offensive line looked better, but still had some problems, allowing Michael Vick to get sacked three times.
The Ugly:
Nope, nothing to see here.
The Breakdown:
It's only been two starts, but so far, Michael Vick at least looks like he's one of the best quarterbacks not only in the NFC East, but the NFL right now. So far this season, Vick has thrown for 750 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions while rushing for almost 200 yards and a touchdown. While I still don't like the way that the Eagles went about handling the starting quarterback issues, you can't argue with the results at all. The Eagles are 2-0 with Vick under center, and they've gotten better in both games.
The spotlight was shining brightly on Vick yesterday, and he not only played like he had in Atlanta, but he looked better than he did when he was a Falcon. The Jaguars attempted to keep Vick in the pocket for the majority of the game and make him beat them with his arm, and he was able to do that. Vick stood his ground in the pocket, ran when he had to, and made mostly smart throws. DeSean Jackson has quickly become Vick's favorite target, scoring on another long touchdown pass. Jackson's speed makes him the most dangerous weapon that the Eagles have on offense, but Jeremy Maclin might be the best target that Vick has closer to the goal line. Maclin scored twice this week, including a touchdown in the final seconds of the first half for the second straight week, and he has four touchdowns on the season already. Maclin hasn't necessarily gotten the yards during games yet, but the touchdowns are coming in bunches right now, and that's a good thing.
Vick didn't have the freedom to run as much as he used to, but the running game was effective when it was used. LeSean McCoy didn't have the big runs that he had against the Lions, but he still averaged 4.9 yards a carry during the Jacksonville game. The Eagles still need to establish their running game more and more, especially with Vick under center, but they need to do more with McCoy and Mike Bell, as well as Vick. It still was troubling that the Eagles couldn't convert a fourth down and one midway through the second quarter. That's more of the same from last year, and that's certainly something that needs to change. The offensive line has to step up as well, and the only problem is that I don't know that they can do that. The line has just been bad this year, despite a decent enough good game this week, it doesn't make them that much better.
The best part about this game was the way that the defense played. Sure, Jacksonville doesn't have the best offense in the world, but the Jaguars still have Maurice Jones-Drew, and despite him picking up 88 yards on 22 carries, he was the only part of the Jacksonville offense that wasn't complete shut down by the Philadelphia defense. David Garrard was hassled all game long, and though he was sacked six times, there were a few times that he just managed to get away from the pass rush. Garrard finished with just 105 yards on 13 completions, and looked more like the quarterback that struggled against San Diego last week than the guy that lit up the Broncos in Week 1. When the defense is playing as well as they did yesterday, then they're going to be hard to beat.
So far, it's been pretty good for the Eagles. They're sitting at 2-1 and in first place in the NFC East by a game over the other three teams. However, the two teams that they have beaten have a combined total of one win, and the Lions came damn close to making an improbable comeback. The one game that they did play against a playoff caliber team, they lost. No one is going to mistake the Lions and Jaguars for the Packers or Steelers, but wins are wins. Teams need to be able to beat teams that are worse than them, and that's what the Lions and Jaguars are. The Eagles aren't a great team yet, but they do look like a good one right now. They just need to be tested against some of the better teams in the league. That starts next week, despite the record that Washington has. This upcoming game has more emotion behind it than any game that the Eagles have played in recent history.
Everyone had better buckle up...this week is going to be one hell of a ride.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Phillies Recap: Mets-7, Phillies-3
Game Recap:
The Mets kept the Phillies from clinching the National League East at home for the fourth straight season, as Carlos Beltran hit two home runs and Cole Hamels got knocked out of the game in the fourth inning. Even with the loss, the magic number to clinch dropped to one, and the Phillies clinched at least a playoff spot.
What went right?
Chase Utley was 1-4 with a three run home run.
Raul Ibanez was 2-4.
Wilson freaking Valdez went 1-3 and scored a run.
Jimmy Rollins made his return in a pinch hitting appearance, but grounded out. At least he's back.
What went wrong?
Carlos Ruiz was 0-4, and hit into an inning ending double play in the fourth inning.
Cole Hamels had his worst outing in a while, lasting only four innings while giving up five runs on nine hits. He walked three and struck out two.
Ryan Madson didn't record an out in the ninth inning, but allowed two runs on a home run by Carlos Beltran.
The Phillies left nine men on base.
The Phillies didn't get to clinch the National League East at home this season.
Game Analysis:
This one is going to be short tonight. Simply put, the Phillies, despite losing their second straight game to the Mets, managed to clinch a playoff birth for the fourth straight season. Where they're going to land in the National League isn't decided yet, but they've got themselves another trip to the postseason. Now, the Phils didn't look like a playoff team today against New York, but now all they have to do to clinch the National League East is win one more game.
For the first time in a long time, Cole Hamels looked rough on the mound. He only lasted four innings, and looked nothing like the man that shut down the Braves over seven innings this past Monday. Instead, Hamels gave up two home runs and nine hits, and couldn't make it into the fifth inning. To be fair, this looked more like a single bump in the road than anything serious, and Hamels has never fared well against the Mets in his entire career. The Mets haven't exactly owned him, but he's just never really found a way to beat them. Either he pitches well and the offense can't do anything, or he pitches poorly, like he did today. Even with this loss, Hamels should bounce back back, and he's only got one more start left during the regular season anyway. It's probably going to be a short one, but that's not the point right now.
The offense does still need to get their act together. They drove Pat Misch out of the game in the fourth inning with a three run outburst, but after that they couldn't do anything else. The Mets made some nice plays to keep the Phils from tying the game at any point, but you can't just point at those and say that they made all the difference. Teams need to be able to drive in runs in clutch situations, and over the last two games, the Phillies haven't been able to do that. Again, to be fair, the Mets pretty much shut the Phillies down at the plate this season. Remember, New York shut the Phils out for an entire series earlier this year, but when you get nine hits in a game, along with three walks, you should be able to get more than three runs. Even so, the bats will start to warm up again, especially with Jimmy Rollins looking like he's going to be back for the last week of the regular season.
No matter the result today, the Phillies still managed to get into the playoffs again. It wasn't the way that they wanted to do it, but this team will take it any way that they can. Since their low point of the season, the Phils have gone 45-17. It's impressive, but they're not done yet. They still have six more games to play during the regular season, and then the real fun begins again.
Tomorrow, the Phillies start their last road trip of the year with a series down in Washington. Roy Halladay (20-10, 2.53 ERA) will try and lock up the division for the Phillies as he goes against John Lannan (8-7, 4.58 ERA).
The Mets kept the Phillies from clinching the National League East at home for the fourth straight season, as Carlos Beltran hit two home runs and Cole Hamels got knocked out of the game in the fourth inning. Even with the loss, the magic number to clinch dropped to one, and the Phillies clinched at least a playoff spot.
What went right?
Chase Utley was 1-4 with a three run home run.
Raul Ibanez was 2-4.
Wilson freaking Valdez went 1-3 and scored a run.
Jimmy Rollins made his return in a pinch hitting appearance, but grounded out. At least he's back.
What went wrong?
Carlos Ruiz was 0-4, and hit into an inning ending double play in the fourth inning.
Cole Hamels had his worst outing in a while, lasting only four innings while giving up five runs on nine hits. He walked three and struck out two.
Ryan Madson didn't record an out in the ninth inning, but allowed two runs on a home run by Carlos Beltran.
The Phillies left nine men on base.
The Phillies didn't get to clinch the National League East at home this season.
Game Analysis:
This one is going to be short tonight. Simply put, the Phillies, despite losing their second straight game to the Mets, managed to clinch a playoff birth for the fourth straight season. Where they're going to land in the National League isn't decided yet, but they've got themselves another trip to the postseason. Now, the Phils didn't look like a playoff team today against New York, but now all they have to do to clinch the National League East is win one more game.
For the first time in a long time, Cole Hamels looked rough on the mound. He only lasted four innings, and looked nothing like the man that shut down the Braves over seven innings this past Monday. Instead, Hamels gave up two home runs and nine hits, and couldn't make it into the fifth inning. To be fair, this looked more like a single bump in the road than anything serious, and Hamels has never fared well against the Mets in his entire career. The Mets haven't exactly owned him, but he's just never really found a way to beat them. Either he pitches well and the offense can't do anything, or he pitches poorly, like he did today. Even with this loss, Hamels should bounce back back, and he's only got one more start left during the regular season anyway. It's probably going to be a short one, but that's not the point right now.
The offense does still need to get their act together. They drove Pat Misch out of the game in the fourth inning with a three run outburst, but after that they couldn't do anything else. The Mets made some nice plays to keep the Phils from tying the game at any point, but you can't just point at those and say that they made all the difference. Teams need to be able to drive in runs in clutch situations, and over the last two games, the Phillies haven't been able to do that. Again, to be fair, the Mets pretty much shut the Phillies down at the plate this season. Remember, New York shut the Phils out for an entire series earlier this year, but when you get nine hits in a game, along with three walks, you should be able to get more than three runs. Even so, the bats will start to warm up again, especially with Jimmy Rollins looking like he's going to be back for the last week of the regular season.
No matter the result today, the Phillies still managed to get into the playoffs again. It wasn't the way that they wanted to do it, but this team will take it any way that they can. Since their low point of the season, the Phils have gone 45-17. It's impressive, but they're not done yet. They still have six more games to play during the regular season, and then the real fun begins again.
Tomorrow, the Phillies start their last road trip of the year with a series down in Washington. Roy Halladay (20-10, 2.53 ERA) will try and lock up the division for the Phillies as he goes against John Lannan (8-7, 4.58 ERA).
Phillie of the Week: September 19-25
The Phillies had another good week this time out, winning all but won game as they closed in on their fourth straight division title. The pitching was excellent, the hitting was solid, and it was very tough to decide who was best this week. In the end, it came down to one guy, who has been turning his season around for the last month and a half. This week's Phillie of the Week is:
Brad Lidge
Simply put, Lights Out Lidge is back. Since the beginning of August, Lidge has blown just one save, and has lowered his ERA from 5.32 all the way down to 3.09. This past week, Lidge saved all four games that he appeared in, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out four. That's what the Phils need out of the back end of their rotation, and that's what they've been getting lately.
Brad Lidge
Simply put, Lights Out Lidge is back. Since the beginning of August, Lidge has blown just one save, and has lowered his ERA from 5.32 all the way down to 3.09. This past week, Lidge saved all four games that he appeared in, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out four. That's what the Phils need out of the back end of their rotation, and that's what they've been getting lately.
Phillies Recap: Mets-5, Phillies-2
Game Recap:
The Mets scored five runs off of Kyle Kendrick and Chad Durbin in the seventh inning to put an end to the Phillies 11 game winning streak.
What went right?
Ryan Howard was 1-3 with a walk and a two run home run. He did, however, have an error in the seventh inning that allowed things to snowball. That's bad.
Chase Utley was 1-3 and scored a run.
What went wrong?
Shane Victorino was 0-3.
Placido Polanco went 0-4.
Raul Ibanez went 0-4 with two strikeouts.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-4.
Chad Durbin only got tagged for one run in the seventh inning, but he allowed three inherited runners to score to give the Mets the lead. In two thirds of an inning, Durbin allowed a run on two hits while striking out two.
Game Analysis:
It had to come to an end eventually, and most people figured that it would with Kyle Kendrick on the mound. However, the end of the Phils' 11 game winning streak wasn't all Kendrick's fault. Kendrick pitched well through six innings, but couldn't avoid the big inning in the seventh. By the time all was said and done, the Mets had scored five times off of Kendrick and Durbin, and the winning streak was over.
The offense struggled yesterday against Dillon Gee, who, after a first inning home run by Ryan Howard, settled down and kept the Phillies from scoring again. The Phils could only manage five hits in seven innings off of Gee, and they didn't even reach base against the New York bullpen. The offense has been down a bit of late, but the pitching has been there to bail them out most nights. Yesterday wasn't one of those nights, though. There are still going to be times this year and during the playoffs that the Phillies are going to need their offense to come through for them. If they want to make it back to the World Series again, they're going to have to get that performance from their bats, because pitching isn't always everything. Remember, no one thought that the Braves should have lost in the playoffs with Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz, but they almost always did. The offense couldn't always keep up with the team that they were playing, and there are some good offenses left in the National League.
You can't pin this loss on Kyle Kendrick. Through six innings, Kendrick looked just as good as the other pitchers in the rotation have of late, but he ran into some trouble in the seventh inning that he couldn't get out of. Things might have been different had Ryan Howard not committed an error with two on and one out, but that's in the past now. In the end, pitchers still need to be able to get out of innings like that, and Kendrick and Chad Durbin couldn't get it done. In the long run, though, this game shouldn't be that important. Yes, the Phillies lost, but they still have a six game lead on the Braves with just seven games left, and the magic number is just two. While anything could still happen, it's quite unlikely that the Phillies will be doing anything but celebrating in the next few days.
Today, the Phils wrap up their regular season at home with one last game against the Mets. Cole Hamels (12-10, 2.93 ERA) will pitch for the Phillies against Pat Misch (0-4, 4.44 ERA).
The Mets scored five runs off of Kyle Kendrick and Chad Durbin in the seventh inning to put an end to the Phillies 11 game winning streak.
What went right?
Ryan Howard was 1-3 with a walk and a two run home run. He did, however, have an error in the seventh inning that allowed things to snowball. That's bad.
Chase Utley was 1-3 and scored a run.
What went wrong?
Shane Victorino was 0-3.
Placido Polanco went 0-4.
Raul Ibanez went 0-4 with two strikeouts.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-4.
Chad Durbin only got tagged for one run in the seventh inning, but he allowed three inherited runners to score to give the Mets the lead. In two thirds of an inning, Durbin allowed a run on two hits while striking out two.
Game Analysis:
It had to come to an end eventually, and most people figured that it would with Kyle Kendrick on the mound. However, the end of the Phils' 11 game winning streak wasn't all Kendrick's fault. Kendrick pitched well through six innings, but couldn't avoid the big inning in the seventh. By the time all was said and done, the Mets had scored five times off of Kendrick and Durbin, and the winning streak was over.
The offense struggled yesterday against Dillon Gee, who, after a first inning home run by Ryan Howard, settled down and kept the Phillies from scoring again. The Phils could only manage five hits in seven innings off of Gee, and they didn't even reach base against the New York bullpen. The offense has been down a bit of late, but the pitching has been there to bail them out most nights. Yesterday wasn't one of those nights, though. There are still going to be times this year and during the playoffs that the Phillies are going to need their offense to come through for them. If they want to make it back to the World Series again, they're going to have to get that performance from their bats, because pitching isn't always everything. Remember, no one thought that the Braves should have lost in the playoffs with Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz, but they almost always did. The offense couldn't always keep up with the team that they were playing, and there are some good offenses left in the National League.
You can't pin this loss on Kyle Kendrick. Through six innings, Kendrick looked just as good as the other pitchers in the rotation have of late, but he ran into some trouble in the seventh inning that he couldn't get out of. Things might have been different had Ryan Howard not committed an error with two on and one out, but that's in the past now. In the end, pitchers still need to be able to get out of innings like that, and Kendrick and Chad Durbin couldn't get it done. In the long run, though, this game shouldn't be that important. Yes, the Phillies lost, but they still have a six game lead on the Braves with just seven games left, and the magic number is just two. While anything could still happen, it's quite unlikely that the Phillies will be doing anything but celebrating in the next few days.
Today, the Phils wrap up their regular season at home with one last game against the Mets. Cole Hamels (12-10, 2.93 ERA) will pitch for the Phillies against Pat Misch (0-4, 4.44 ERA).
Friday, September 24, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-3, Mets-2
Game Recap:
Joe Blanton only needed 74 pitches to throw seven innings of two run baseball, and the Phillies drove in just enough runs to win their 11th game in a row and move seven games up on the Braves with just eight games left to play.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 2-4 with a leadoff home run and two RBI.
Placido Polanco went 2-4.
Raul Ibanez went 1-4 and scored a run.
Carlos Ruiz was 1-3 with the game winning RBI.
Wilson freaking Valdez was 1-3 with a run scored.
Joe Blanton pitched well once again, allowing just two runs on six hits in seven innings of work. He walked one and struck out six.
Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge did their jobs in the eighth and ninth innings once again, shutting down the Mets for the last six outs of the game. Madson worked a perfect eighth inning, while Lidge ended up with runners on the corners before recording his 27th save of the season.
What went wrong?
Jayson Werth was 0-3, and that's about it.
Game Analysis:
I've said it time and time again so far this month, but it's amazing to see how far the Phillies have come since they were swept at the hands of the Astros at the end of August. Coming into September, the Phils were three games back of the Braves, and their chances of making the playoffs weren't that good. Now, after a 19-3 run this month and an 11 game winning streak, the Phillies have the best record in baseball and their magic number to clinch the National League East is down to just two. That's after a great outing by Joe Blanton tonight, who continued the great pitching that's been carrying this team through much of this late season run.
For all the crap that I've given Joe Blanton this season, the fact of the matter is that he's been pitching very well since the All Star break. Since his last loss on July 21, Blanton has gone 5-0 with an ERA of 3.54, which is quite respectable for a fourth starter in this rotation. If the Phillies need someone to start a game or two during the playoffs, Blanton should be up to the task, and the Phils should look to him before Kendrick. Blanton has pitched better in the playoffs, and has looked better as the season has gone on. Tonight was no exception, as the big man held the Mets to just two runs in seven innings, and he did that on just 74 pitches. He avoided the big inning that was his biggest problem during the start of the season, and he looked confident out on the mound tonight.
If Blanton can keep this up, then there's nothing that can stop people from saying the Phillies have the best starting rotation heading into the playoffs. They already have Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels, and the way that Blanton has been pitching of late, he's a great addition to this excellent pitching staff. Besides, if the Phils can keep winning, they'll end up with the best record in the National League, which will let them set a playoff schedule that can have Halladay, Hamels and Oswalt potentially start 17 of 19 games without needed to go on short rest. That's exactly what the Phillies want, and if they keep winning, it's going to happen. I'm not trying to sell Joe Blanton short right now, because the man has back to back years of playoff experience and has been good lately, but you can't go wrong with those three pitchers on the mound. It's just not possible.
As for the offense, it struggled again tonight, but the Phils have been relying on their pitching so much lately that it hasn't mattered. Tonight, Shane Victorino was the spark plug, starting the game with a home run and then driving in a run in the second inning with a double to do most of the damage. Carlos Ruiz finished things off with another clutch hit, driving in the game winning run with an RBI single in the fourth inning. From there, the offense couldn't do much, but they didn't have to with Blanton, Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge pitching. It's not as pretty as it's been over the last few years, but the fact remains that this pitching staff is one of, if not the, best in baseball right now. As long as the bats can piece together a few runs per game, then they should be able to win. Add into that the idea that Jimmy Rollins might be back as soon as Sunday, and things are looking even better for the offense.
Any time you have Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez in the middle of your lineup, it's only going to be a matter of time before they break out and have a few big games. The offense did struggle against the Braves, and they only put up three runs tonight against the Mets, but they've struggled this season against R.A. Dickey, and the Braves did bring out Tommy Hanson and two rookies that the Phils hadn't seen yet. Those aren't the best scenarios for this offense, and that's not an excuse, those are facts. The Phillies struggle against pitchers that they haven't seen, and junk ballers like Dickey give them trouble, too. Remember, Dickey pitched a one hit shutout against the Phillies earlier this season, so he's been very good against this team.
None of those struggles matter right now, though. The Phils, thanks to Washington beating the Braves tonight, have their magic number for clinching the National League East for the fourth straight season down to just two. That means the Phillies, with six road games and two home games left, could still clinch the division at home, and keep the Braves from making the playoffs in Bobby Cox's last regular season games. That would be twice as sweet, but we'll see what happens during that last series. For now, Phils fans just need to sit back and enjoy this moment. Not many people thought it was going to happen this year, but this team has gotten hot at just the right time. Now, it's only a matter of time before they make the playoffs again.
Tomorrow, Kyle Kendrick (10-9, 4.78 ERA) looks like he's getting the start for the Phillies. He'll be facing Dillon Gee (1-1, 1.80 ERA). The Braves play during the afternoon, so the Phils will know what they have to do before their game even starts. This is when it gets fun, people.
Joe Blanton only needed 74 pitches to throw seven innings of two run baseball, and the Phillies drove in just enough runs to win their 11th game in a row and move seven games up on the Braves with just eight games left to play.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 2-4 with a leadoff home run and two RBI.
Placido Polanco went 2-4.
Raul Ibanez went 1-4 and scored a run.
Carlos Ruiz was 1-3 with the game winning RBI.
Wilson freaking Valdez was 1-3 with a run scored.
Joe Blanton pitched well once again, allowing just two runs on six hits in seven innings of work. He walked one and struck out six.
Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge did their jobs in the eighth and ninth innings once again, shutting down the Mets for the last six outs of the game. Madson worked a perfect eighth inning, while Lidge ended up with runners on the corners before recording his 27th save of the season.
What went wrong?
Jayson Werth was 0-3, and that's about it.
Game Analysis:
I've said it time and time again so far this month, but it's amazing to see how far the Phillies have come since they were swept at the hands of the Astros at the end of August. Coming into September, the Phils were three games back of the Braves, and their chances of making the playoffs weren't that good. Now, after a 19-3 run this month and an 11 game winning streak, the Phillies have the best record in baseball and their magic number to clinch the National League East is down to just two. That's after a great outing by Joe Blanton tonight, who continued the great pitching that's been carrying this team through much of this late season run.
For all the crap that I've given Joe Blanton this season, the fact of the matter is that he's been pitching very well since the All Star break. Since his last loss on July 21, Blanton has gone 5-0 with an ERA of 3.54, which is quite respectable for a fourth starter in this rotation. If the Phillies need someone to start a game or two during the playoffs, Blanton should be up to the task, and the Phils should look to him before Kendrick. Blanton has pitched better in the playoffs, and has looked better as the season has gone on. Tonight was no exception, as the big man held the Mets to just two runs in seven innings, and he did that on just 74 pitches. He avoided the big inning that was his biggest problem during the start of the season, and he looked confident out on the mound tonight.
If Blanton can keep this up, then there's nothing that can stop people from saying the Phillies have the best starting rotation heading into the playoffs. They already have Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels, and the way that Blanton has been pitching of late, he's a great addition to this excellent pitching staff. Besides, if the Phils can keep winning, they'll end up with the best record in the National League, which will let them set a playoff schedule that can have Halladay, Hamels and Oswalt potentially start 17 of 19 games without needed to go on short rest. That's exactly what the Phillies want, and if they keep winning, it's going to happen. I'm not trying to sell Joe Blanton short right now, because the man has back to back years of playoff experience and has been good lately, but you can't go wrong with those three pitchers on the mound. It's just not possible.
As for the offense, it struggled again tonight, but the Phils have been relying on their pitching so much lately that it hasn't mattered. Tonight, Shane Victorino was the spark plug, starting the game with a home run and then driving in a run in the second inning with a double to do most of the damage. Carlos Ruiz finished things off with another clutch hit, driving in the game winning run with an RBI single in the fourth inning. From there, the offense couldn't do much, but they didn't have to with Blanton, Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge pitching. It's not as pretty as it's been over the last few years, but the fact remains that this pitching staff is one of, if not the, best in baseball right now. As long as the bats can piece together a few runs per game, then they should be able to win. Add into that the idea that Jimmy Rollins might be back as soon as Sunday, and things are looking even better for the offense.
Any time you have Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez in the middle of your lineup, it's only going to be a matter of time before they break out and have a few big games. The offense did struggle against the Braves, and they only put up three runs tonight against the Mets, but they've struggled this season against R.A. Dickey, and the Braves did bring out Tommy Hanson and two rookies that the Phils hadn't seen yet. Those aren't the best scenarios for this offense, and that's not an excuse, those are facts. The Phillies struggle against pitchers that they haven't seen, and junk ballers like Dickey give them trouble, too. Remember, Dickey pitched a one hit shutout against the Phillies earlier this season, so he's been very good against this team.
None of those struggles matter right now, though. The Phils, thanks to Washington beating the Braves tonight, have their magic number for clinching the National League East for the fourth straight season down to just two. That means the Phillies, with six road games and two home games left, could still clinch the division at home, and keep the Braves from making the playoffs in Bobby Cox's last regular season games. That would be twice as sweet, but we'll see what happens during that last series. For now, Phils fans just need to sit back and enjoy this moment. Not many people thought it was going to happen this year, but this team has gotten hot at just the right time. Now, it's only a matter of time before they make the playoffs again.
Tomorrow, Kyle Kendrick (10-9, 4.78 ERA) looks like he's getting the start for the Phillies. He'll be facing Dillon Gee (1-1, 1.80 ERA). The Braves play during the afternoon, so the Phils will know what they have to do before their game even starts. This is when it gets fun, people.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-1, Braves-0
Game Recap:
Roy Oswalt pitched seven innings of one hit baseball, and Raul Ibanez drove home the only run in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Phillies finished the sweep of the Atlanta Braves to move six games up in the National League East with just nine games to play.
What went right?
Jayson Werth didn't pick up a base hit, but he did walk three times and scored the only run of the game.
Raul Ibanez came through in the clutch again, going 1-4 with an RBI double in the eighth inning that turned out to be the game winner.
Carlos Ruiz was 2-3.
Roy Oswalt didn't pick up the win, but he pitched just as well as he had in any start as a member of the Phillies. He didn't allow a run, gave up just one hit, walked one and struck out eight.
Ryan Madson worked a perfect eighth inning for his sixth win of the season.
Brad Lidge walked Jason Heyward in the ninth, but worked around the walk for his third save of the series and his ninth straight. He now has 26 saves on the season.
What went wrong?
Placido Polanco went 0-4.
Ryan Howard was 0-4 with two strikeouts and a ground ball double play.
The Phillies left ten men on base.
Game Analysis:
All you have to do to figure out how the Phillies have managed to turn this season around is look at the numbers. Since July 21, when this team was just three games over .500 and seven games behind the Braves, they have gone 44-15, including an 18-3 run in September to go along with their current ten game winning streak. This time of the season is when winners get the job done, and right now, no one else is getting the job done more than the Phillies.
Coming into this series against the Braves, the Phillies intentionally lined up their starting rotation so that Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt would each pitch one of the three games. The strategy made this series feel even more like the playoffs, and it worked to perfection for the Phils. Both Hamels and Halladay picked up wins, and while Oswalt didn't get that chance, he arguably pitched the best game out of the three aces. His seven innings of one run baseball were exactly what the Phillies needed tonight, since their offense was struggling against Tommy Hanson. Luckily, Oswalt pitched one his best games of the season, and reminded everyone, once again, why the Phillies traded for him at the end of July.
Even after seeing Oswalt pitch as well as he has over the last two months, it was great to see him do it in a high pressure situation. Sure, he's been there before with the Astros, but that was five years ago. This is his first season with the Phillies, and these last few starts have been his baptism of fire, if you will. Well, it looks like he's passed with flying colors, and tonight was the final test. Oswalt was sharp all night long, allowing just a double in the fourth inning and a walk in the seventh inning before leaving the game with just 99 pitches thrown. He had the Braves guessing all night long, and seemed even more zoned in than usual. For someone that wasn't exactly sure that he wanted to come here as the trade deadline got closer, Oswalt has certainly made his mark this season. Honestly, he's pitching better than Cliff Lee did last year, and that's saying something.
There isn't much to say about the offense tonight. Tommy Hanson matched Roy Oswalt in the pitching department, allowing just two hits and three walks while keeping the Phillies from driving in runs. This was the first time since the series against the Mets that a starting pitcher had made it into the sixth inning against the Phillies, and considering how well the Phils have been hitting lately, that's telling you how good Tommy Hanson was tonight. Fortunately for the Phillies, Jonny Venters came into the game and wasn't nearly as tough as he was last night. Venters hit Chase Utley before getting Ryan Howard to ground into a double play, and it looked like he would be able to get out of the inning. Then, he walked Jayson Werth, and on a 2-0, Raul Ibanez just dropped a pitch down the left field line that scored Werth for the only run of the game.
Should the Phillies have scored more runs tonight? Yes, but they should have during the entire series. Atlanta has prided itself all year on their pitching, and they pitched well in this series, too. The only problem was that their offense couldn't do a single thing against the pitching of the Phillies. In three games, the Braves scored four runs against the Phils, and all of them came off of the starting pitching. That's what makes this sweep even more impressive. Brad Lidge saved all three games, and allowed just a hit and a walk in three games. With each outing, he looks more and more like the man that saved the 2008 World Series, and you can see the confidence growing in him, too.
The Phillies played their rotation perfectly coming into this series. For some reason, the Braves didn't play their hand the same way, and used Tim Hudson and Derek Lowe against the Mets over the weekend. While it's fun to second guess, it's not going to do the Braves any good, because the big three for the Phillies were outstanding. Halladay, Hamels and Oswalt pitched a combined 22 innings out of the 27 pitched by the Phillies. They allowed just four runs, 14 hits and four walks, as well as 17 strikeouts. When you look at that in the same aspect of a playoff series, that's domination right there, and something that every other playoff team in baseball is going to have to look out for now.
The National League East isn't clinched yet, but at this point, it might as well be. The Phillies are six up with nine games to play, and their magic number is down to just four. Atlanta came into this series with hopes of catching the Phils, and instead, they're leaving Philadelphia with their tail between their legs and hoping that they can hold on to the Wild Card spot in the National League. The Braves are going to be good for a few more years to come, so they have nothing to worry about. For this season, at least, the Phillies are back on top, and they've gotten there with some of the best play that I've ever seen from this team.
The Phils are off tomorrow before starting their last home series of the year against the New York Mets. While things might change, Joe Blanton (7-6, 5.04 ERA) looks like he's going to go for the Phillies, and Dillon Gee (1-1, 1.80 ERA) or R.A. Dickey (11-7, 2.92 ERA) is going to pitch for the Mets.
Roy Oswalt pitched seven innings of one hit baseball, and Raul Ibanez drove home the only run in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Phillies finished the sweep of the Atlanta Braves to move six games up in the National League East with just nine games to play.
What went right?
Jayson Werth didn't pick up a base hit, but he did walk three times and scored the only run of the game.
Raul Ibanez came through in the clutch again, going 1-4 with an RBI double in the eighth inning that turned out to be the game winner.
Carlos Ruiz was 2-3.
Roy Oswalt didn't pick up the win, but he pitched just as well as he had in any start as a member of the Phillies. He didn't allow a run, gave up just one hit, walked one and struck out eight.
Ryan Madson worked a perfect eighth inning for his sixth win of the season.
Brad Lidge walked Jason Heyward in the ninth, but worked around the walk for his third save of the series and his ninth straight. He now has 26 saves on the season.
What went wrong?
Placido Polanco went 0-4.
Ryan Howard was 0-4 with two strikeouts and a ground ball double play.
The Phillies left ten men on base.
Game Analysis:
All you have to do to figure out how the Phillies have managed to turn this season around is look at the numbers. Since July 21, when this team was just three games over .500 and seven games behind the Braves, they have gone 44-15, including an 18-3 run in September to go along with their current ten game winning streak. This time of the season is when winners get the job done, and right now, no one else is getting the job done more than the Phillies.
Coming into this series against the Braves, the Phillies intentionally lined up their starting rotation so that Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt would each pitch one of the three games. The strategy made this series feel even more like the playoffs, and it worked to perfection for the Phils. Both Hamels and Halladay picked up wins, and while Oswalt didn't get that chance, he arguably pitched the best game out of the three aces. His seven innings of one run baseball were exactly what the Phillies needed tonight, since their offense was struggling against Tommy Hanson. Luckily, Oswalt pitched one his best games of the season, and reminded everyone, once again, why the Phillies traded for him at the end of July.
Even after seeing Oswalt pitch as well as he has over the last two months, it was great to see him do it in a high pressure situation. Sure, he's been there before with the Astros, but that was five years ago. This is his first season with the Phillies, and these last few starts have been his baptism of fire, if you will. Well, it looks like he's passed with flying colors, and tonight was the final test. Oswalt was sharp all night long, allowing just a double in the fourth inning and a walk in the seventh inning before leaving the game with just 99 pitches thrown. He had the Braves guessing all night long, and seemed even more zoned in than usual. For someone that wasn't exactly sure that he wanted to come here as the trade deadline got closer, Oswalt has certainly made his mark this season. Honestly, he's pitching better than Cliff Lee did last year, and that's saying something.
There isn't much to say about the offense tonight. Tommy Hanson matched Roy Oswalt in the pitching department, allowing just two hits and three walks while keeping the Phillies from driving in runs. This was the first time since the series against the Mets that a starting pitcher had made it into the sixth inning against the Phillies, and considering how well the Phils have been hitting lately, that's telling you how good Tommy Hanson was tonight. Fortunately for the Phillies, Jonny Venters came into the game and wasn't nearly as tough as he was last night. Venters hit Chase Utley before getting Ryan Howard to ground into a double play, and it looked like he would be able to get out of the inning. Then, he walked Jayson Werth, and on a 2-0, Raul Ibanez just dropped a pitch down the left field line that scored Werth for the only run of the game.
Should the Phillies have scored more runs tonight? Yes, but they should have during the entire series. Atlanta has prided itself all year on their pitching, and they pitched well in this series, too. The only problem was that their offense couldn't do a single thing against the pitching of the Phillies. In three games, the Braves scored four runs against the Phils, and all of them came off of the starting pitching. That's what makes this sweep even more impressive. Brad Lidge saved all three games, and allowed just a hit and a walk in three games. With each outing, he looks more and more like the man that saved the 2008 World Series, and you can see the confidence growing in him, too.
The Phillies played their rotation perfectly coming into this series. For some reason, the Braves didn't play their hand the same way, and used Tim Hudson and Derek Lowe against the Mets over the weekend. While it's fun to second guess, it's not going to do the Braves any good, because the big three for the Phillies were outstanding. Halladay, Hamels and Oswalt pitched a combined 22 innings out of the 27 pitched by the Phillies. They allowed just four runs, 14 hits and four walks, as well as 17 strikeouts. When you look at that in the same aspect of a playoff series, that's domination right there, and something that every other playoff team in baseball is going to have to look out for now.
The National League East isn't clinched yet, but at this point, it might as well be. The Phillies are six up with nine games to play, and their magic number is down to just four. Atlanta came into this series with hopes of catching the Phils, and instead, they're leaving Philadelphia with their tail between their legs and hoping that they can hold on to the Wild Card spot in the National League. The Braves are going to be good for a few more years to come, so they have nothing to worry about. For this season, at least, the Phillies are back on top, and they've gotten there with some of the best play that I've ever seen from this team.
The Phils are off tomorrow before starting their last home series of the year against the New York Mets. While things might change, Joe Blanton (7-6, 5.04 ERA) looks like he's going to go for the Phillies, and Dillon Gee (1-1, 1.80 ERA) or R.A. Dickey (11-7, 2.92 ERA) is going to pitch for the Mets.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-5, Braves-3
Game Recap:
Roy Halladay became the first Phillies pitcher to win 20 games since Steve Carlton back in 1982, and Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez drove in five runs combined to give the Phillies a five game lead over the Braves with ten to play.
What went right?
Placido Polanco was 2-4 with a run scored.
Chase Utley went 2-5 and scored a run.
Jayson Werth continued his great run, picking up another two hits and a three run home run.
Raul Ibanez was 2-4 with a two run double.
Wilson freaking Valdez went 2-4.
Roy Halladay won his 20th game of the season, making him the first Phillies right hander to do so since Robin Roberts back in 1955. He allowed three runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out three.
Brad Lidge allowed a base hit, but retired the side without allowing a run for his 25th save of the season.
What went wrong?
Shane Victorino was 0-5.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-3.
The Phillies left 12 men on base.
Game Analysis:
Two games in to this series, and the Phillies have the Braves just where they wanted them. After Cole Hamels picked up a win last night, Roy Halladay did the same tonight, and the Phils find themselves up five games in the National League East with just ten games left to play.
Once again, Roy Halladay wasn't perfect, but he did enough to keep the Phillies in the game. Halladay has looked a little tired of late, but he keeps winning, so that argument can't be that valid at the moment. Tonight, Halladay got the Braves to hit into three double plays, giving the Phillies six in the two games so far. Roy didn't have his strikeout pitch tonight, so he needed the rest of the defense to come up with plays for him, and they were able to do just that. Chase Utley and Wilson Valdez turned two of the three double plays, and Shane Victorino made a great throw to nail Brian McCann at third for the third double play of the game. I'm still concerned about Halladay and how he's been pitching lately, but if he can keep winning, then there's little to really be concerned about. Every pitcher starts to show signs of fatigue at this point of the year, so why is Halladay any different?
The biggest difference tonight was the middle of the lineup once again. It wasn't Ryan Howard or Chase Utley that had the big hits, but Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez once again came through with a pair of clutch hits that ended up making the difference for the Phils tonight. Werth nailed a three run home run in the third inning that Ibanez followed up with a double to drive starter Mike Minor out of the game, and Ibanez put the final nail in Atlanta's coffin with a two run double in the sixth inning. While it's nice to see Howard and Utley knocking in runs and getting hits, the rest of the team has to come through as well, and tonight, they did just that. Werth nailed his fifth home run in eight games, and Ibanez continued his hot September as well.
This hitting is exactly what the Phillies need right now. The top of the rotation, and even the bottom of it, is pitching well, so all that this team needs is a little offense, and they'll be one of the best teams in baseball again. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley can only do so much, but now Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez have stepped up their games to the point where the middle of the lineup is something to be feared again. You can add Shane Victorino as a leadoff hitter to that aspect as well, and this Phillies team is looking even better than the 2008 and 2009 versions.
You have to give Roy Halladay love tonight. The man became the first pitcher since Steve Carlton to record 20 wins as a Phillie, and he did so while picking up 10 losses as well. Had he gotten a little more run support, or a few better breaks, he might have done this sooner, but it's great to see it happen against the Braves. Just two months ago, the Phillies were the team with their backs against the wall. Now, after a 43-15 stretch, the Braves are running out of chances. Tomorrow might be their last one.
Tomorrow night, Roy Oswalt (13-13, 2.90 ERA) goes for the sweep against the Braves. Atlanta will finally send one of their better pitchers out there in Tommy Hanson (10-11, 3.62 ERA).
Roy Halladay became the first Phillies pitcher to win 20 games since Steve Carlton back in 1982, and Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez drove in five runs combined to give the Phillies a five game lead over the Braves with ten to play.
What went right?
Placido Polanco was 2-4 with a run scored.
Chase Utley went 2-5 and scored a run.
Jayson Werth continued his great run, picking up another two hits and a three run home run.
Raul Ibanez was 2-4 with a two run double.
Wilson freaking Valdez went 2-4.
Roy Halladay won his 20th game of the season, making him the first Phillies right hander to do so since Robin Roberts back in 1955. He allowed three runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out three.
Brad Lidge allowed a base hit, but retired the side without allowing a run for his 25th save of the season.
What went wrong?
Shane Victorino was 0-5.
Carlos Ruiz was 0-3.
The Phillies left 12 men on base.
Game Analysis:
Two games in to this series, and the Phillies have the Braves just where they wanted them. After Cole Hamels picked up a win last night, Roy Halladay did the same tonight, and the Phils find themselves up five games in the National League East with just ten games left to play.
Once again, Roy Halladay wasn't perfect, but he did enough to keep the Phillies in the game. Halladay has looked a little tired of late, but he keeps winning, so that argument can't be that valid at the moment. Tonight, Halladay got the Braves to hit into three double plays, giving the Phillies six in the two games so far. Roy didn't have his strikeout pitch tonight, so he needed the rest of the defense to come up with plays for him, and they were able to do just that. Chase Utley and Wilson Valdez turned two of the three double plays, and Shane Victorino made a great throw to nail Brian McCann at third for the third double play of the game. I'm still concerned about Halladay and how he's been pitching lately, but if he can keep winning, then there's little to really be concerned about. Every pitcher starts to show signs of fatigue at this point of the year, so why is Halladay any different?
The biggest difference tonight was the middle of the lineup once again. It wasn't Ryan Howard or Chase Utley that had the big hits, but Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez once again came through with a pair of clutch hits that ended up making the difference for the Phils tonight. Werth nailed a three run home run in the third inning that Ibanez followed up with a double to drive starter Mike Minor out of the game, and Ibanez put the final nail in Atlanta's coffin with a two run double in the sixth inning. While it's nice to see Howard and Utley knocking in runs and getting hits, the rest of the team has to come through as well, and tonight, they did just that. Werth nailed his fifth home run in eight games, and Ibanez continued his hot September as well.
This hitting is exactly what the Phillies need right now. The top of the rotation, and even the bottom of it, is pitching well, so all that this team needs is a little offense, and they'll be one of the best teams in baseball again. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley can only do so much, but now Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez have stepped up their games to the point where the middle of the lineup is something to be feared again. You can add Shane Victorino as a leadoff hitter to that aspect as well, and this Phillies team is looking even better than the 2008 and 2009 versions.
You have to give Roy Halladay love tonight. The man became the first pitcher since Steve Carlton to record 20 wins as a Phillie, and he did so while picking up 10 losses as well. Had he gotten a little more run support, or a few better breaks, he might have done this sooner, but it's great to see it happen against the Braves. Just two months ago, the Phillies were the team with their backs against the wall. Now, after a 43-15 stretch, the Braves are running out of chances. Tomorrow might be their last one.
Tomorrow night, Roy Oswalt (13-13, 2.90 ERA) goes for the sweep against the Braves. Atlanta will finally send one of their better pitchers out there in Tommy Hanson (10-11, 3.62 ERA).
Guess who will be starting for the Eagles for the next 14 games?
No, it's not Kevin Kolb, not unless someone else gets hurt. Andy Reid today announced that Michael Vick will be the starting quarterback for the Eagles for the rest of the season.
Now, Vick is coming off of six great quarters of football, but the fact of the matter remains that Kevin Kolb had spent every last moment of the preseason preparing to be the starter in Philadelphia. Not only that, but Andy Reid said before the game on Sunday that Kolb would start this week against the Jaguars. That was before Vick passed for almost 300 yards and two touchdowns, but that's not the point. The point is that this move reeks of lies and is a knee jerk reaction by Andy Reid and the rest of the Eagles coaching staff.
I'm not going to try and lie about this whole thing. Michael Vick has looked great so far during the regular season, but remember who he has played against. The Green Bay Packers were ready for Kevin Kolb, not a scrambling quarterback, and the Detroit Lions are, well, the Detroit Lions. This is like watching Kolb against the Saints and Chiefs last season and saying that he was ready to be the starting quarterback then. Sure, Vick has the experience and the skill level over Kolb right now, but that's not what is important right now. What's important is how Andy Reid handled this whole situation.
Before the game against the Lions on Sunday, the Eagles came out and said that Kevin Kolb was going to be the starting quarterback as long as he was healthy. Michael Vick was interviewed yesterday and said that he was happy as the backup in Philadelphia. Now, just 24 hours later, the tables have turned. You can only imagine how Kevin Kolb feels. The man signed a contract extension in the offseason on the belief that he would be the starting quarterback for at least the next two years, and now Andy Reid has gone and pulled the plug on his time behind center after just one quarter. If I'm Kevin Kolb, I'm pissed, and once this contract with the Eagles ends, I'm telling them to kiss my ass. If they want to stick with Michael Vick and see what happens, then so be it. Kevin Kolb can be a starter in this league, he just needs a team with some patience to let him play. Keep in mind that he's only 26 years old, and still has room to grow. Sure, he didn't play well against the Packers, but the Green Bay defense is one of the best in the NFL. Most quarterbacks will struggle against them this year.
From a strictly football standpoint, I can see why this move makes sense. Kolb is not a mobile quarterback, and the offensive line is horrible this season. I've said it in both recaps so far, and I'll say it again right now. If you want a chance to win this season, Michael Vick might be the best option at quarterback, and that's strictly because of the offensive line. There is not one player on that line that I would trust to protect a quarterback, and that's why Vick is the starter now. Vick can get away from the pass rush and at least scramble for yards, which is something that Kolb normally can't do. That's the biggest reason that Reid decided to make Vick the starter, but I'm still not sold on this move.
Look, the way that this season is going already, this might have been the worst move that the Eagles could have made. There was already a quarterback controversy in Philadelphia, and now Andy Reid and the Eagles have made it worse. Everyone is impressed with the way Vick has been playing, but the fact of the matter is that he hasn't played against a top defense yet, and he won't this week, either. Jacksonville has one of the worst passing defenses in the NFL, so Vick is not going to be tested here, either. Of course, Kevin Kolb wouldn't have been tested, either.
That's what really gets to me right now about this entire thing with Vick. For 10 years, Andy Reid stuck by Donovan McNabb, no matter how he performed and what people said about him. Then, this offseason, he agrees to trade him to a divisional rival for a second round pick. Now, Kevin Kolb is the starter. He goes through the offseason and takes his lumps, just like any first time starting quarterback would do. He might get hurt, but that's why you have a good backup in there. Now, imagine if Aaron Rodgers had been benched after one poor half of football in his first season as a starter. Tell me how Packer fans would have felt. They would have been shocked at the turn of events, and so am I. There is no reason for Vick to be starting, save for the horrid play of the offensive line. Has Vick looked great this season? Yes he has, but that doesn't mean it's going to keep up. David Garrard passed for three touchdowns for the Jaguars in Week One, and then he threw four interceptions and was benched in Week Two. That's what this season has done to quarterbacks already. In a town like Philadelphia, Michael Vick had better be ready to hear the boos when they come his way.
The way that all of this is going down, I wouldn't be surprised if the Eagles are looking for a completely different quarterback next season. Vick will leave for more money, and if I'm Kolb, there's no way in hell I trust this team again. This is the worst possible scenario for the Eagles, and the only end result is that they're going to have to draft another quarterback in the first or second round next season. It's what I see happening.
Of course, they could have just kept Donovan McNabb, but that's not the point right now.
CSNPhilly: Eagles to start Vick on Sunday
Now, Vick is coming off of six great quarters of football, but the fact of the matter remains that Kevin Kolb had spent every last moment of the preseason preparing to be the starter in Philadelphia. Not only that, but Andy Reid said before the game on Sunday that Kolb would start this week against the Jaguars. That was before Vick passed for almost 300 yards and two touchdowns, but that's not the point. The point is that this move reeks of lies and is a knee jerk reaction by Andy Reid and the rest of the Eagles coaching staff.
I'm not going to try and lie about this whole thing. Michael Vick has looked great so far during the regular season, but remember who he has played against. The Green Bay Packers were ready for Kevin Kolb, not a scrambling quarterback, and the Detroit Lions are, well, the Detroit Lions. This is like watching Kolb against the Saints and Chiefs last season and saying that he was ready to be the starting quarterback then. Sure, Vick has the experience and the skill level over Kolb right now, but that's not what is important right now. What's important is how Andy Reid handled this whole situation.
Before the game against the Lions on Sunday, the Eagles came out and said that Kevin Kolb was going to be the starting quarterback as long as he was healthy. Michael Vick was interviewed yesterday and said that he was happy as the backup in Philadelphia. Now, just 24 hours later, the tables have turned. You can only imagine how Kevin Kolb feels. The man signed a contract extension in the offseason on the belief that he would be the starting quarterback for at least the next two years, and now Andy Reid has gone and pulled the plug on his time behind center after just one quarter. If I'm Kevin Kolb, I'm pissed, and once this contract with the Eagles ends, I'm telling them to kiss my ass. If they want to stick with Michael Vick and see what happens, then so be it. Kevin Kolb can be a starter in this league, he just needs a team with some patience to let him play. Keep in mind that he's only 26 years old, and still has room to grow. Sure, he didn't play well against the Packers, but the Green Bay defense is one of the best in the NFL. Most quarterbacks will struggle against them this year.
From a strictly football standpoint, I can see why this move makes sense. Kolb is not a mobile quarterback, and the offensive line is horrible this season. I've said it in both recaps so far, and I'll say it again right now. If you want a chance to win this season, Michael Vick might be the best option at quarterback, and that's strictly because of the offensive line. There is not one player on that line that I would trust to protect a quarterback, and that's why Vick is the starter now. Vick can get away from the pass rush and at least scramble for yards, which is something that Kolb normally can't do. That's the biggest reason that Reid decided to make Vick the starter, but I'm still not sold on this move.
Look, the way that this season is going already, this might have been the worst move that the Eagles could have made. There was already a quarterback controversy in Philadelphia, and now Andy Reid and the Eagles have made it worse. Everyone is impressed with the way Vick has been playing, but the fact of the matter is that he hasn't played against a top defense yet, and he won't this week, either. Jacksonville has one of the worst passing defenses in the NFL, so Vick is not going to be tested here, either. Of course, Kevin Kolb wouldn't have been tested, either.
That's what really gets to me right now about this entire thing with Vick. For 10 years, Andy Reid stuck by Donovan McNabb, no matter how he performed and what people said about him. Then, this offseason, he agrees to trade him to a divisional rival for a second round pick. Now, Kevin Kolb is the starter. He goes through the offseason and takes his lumps, just like any first time starting quarterback would do. He might get hurt, but that's why you have a good backup in there. Now, imagine if Aaron Rodgers had been benched after one poor half of football in his first season as a starter. Tell me how Packer fans would have felt. They would have been shocked at the turn of events, and so am I. There is no reason for Vick to be starting, save for the horrid play of the offensive line. Has Vick looked great this season? Yes he has, but that doesn't mean it's going to keep up. David Garrard passed for three touchdowns for the Jaguars in Week One, and then he threw four interceptions and was benched in Week Two. That's what this season has done to quarterbacks already. In a town like Philadelphia, Michael Vick had better be ready to hear the boos when they come his way.
The way that all of this is going down, I wouldn't be surprised if the Eagles are looking for a completely different quarterback next season. Vick will leave for more money, and if I'm Kolb, there's no way in hell I trust this team again. This is the worst possible scenario for the Eagles, and the only end result is that they're going to have to draft another quarterback in the first or second round next season. It's what I see happening.
Of course, they could have just kept Donovan McNabb, but that's not the point right now.
CSNPhilly: Eagles to start Vick on Sunday
Monday, September 20, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-3, Braves-1
Game Recap:
Cole Hamels pitched eight innings of one run baseball, and the offense scored two unearned runs in the fifth inning to put the Phillies four games up on the Braves with just 11 games to play.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 1-4 with a run scored.
Chase Utley went 1-4 and scored a run.
Ryan Howard went 1-2 with two walks and a run scored.
Carlos Ruiz was 1-4 with an RBI.
Cole Hamels won his fifth start in a row, pitching eight innings of one run baseball. He gave up six hits and walked one while striking out six.
Brad Lidge worked a 1-2-3 inning for his 24th save of the season. He struck out two and only needed 11 pitches to finish the game.
What went wrong?
Wilson Valdez walked twice, but was 0-2.
The Phillies left nine men on base.
Game Analysis:
This is the series that is going to define the season for the Phillies. Two months ago, the Phils were down seven games to the Braves and didn't look like they had a prayer. Now, the Phillies are up four games with just 11 games left to play in the regular season. Cole Hamels was lights out again tonight, and the offense took advantage of mistakes by the Braves in the fifth inning to take the lead and win their eighth game in a row.
There really is nothing more left to say about Cole Hamels and how he's pitching this season. Let's just say that 2009 was a fluke, and move on from there, ok? Hamels has been lights out for most of this year, and since the All Star break, he's looked just as good as Roy Halladay. Tonight was his fifth straight win, and there's no sign of him slowing down. He didn't have his best fastball tonight, but he got three double plays to help him get out of trouble, and each time that he got into trouble, he was able to get out of it. That's exactly what the Phillies needed out of Hamels this season. He needed to be the best number two pitcher in the National League, and he's been that in the second half of the year. In his last five wins, Hamels has allowed just two earned runs in 28.2 innings. That's the sign of a pitcher that's back to where he needs to be. Hamels has his swagger back, and the rest of the National League has had to deal with it. It's a good thing.
To be fair, the offense didn't exactly set the world on fire tonight against the Braves and rookie Brandon Beachy, but they did enough. After leaving men on in three of the first four innings, the Phils were able to take advantage of mistakes by the Braves in the fifth inning. Shane Victorino started the inning with a triple that skipped off of the glove of Jason Heyward, and Placido Polanco and the rest of the heart of the Phillies offense did what they needed to do. Chase Utley made it to third on an error on a stolen base attempt, and Raul Ibanez drove him in to finish the scoring. In playoff type games like this, teams need to take advantage of anything that can happen, and the Phillies did that tonight. It wasn't pretty, thanks in large part to the Phillies having never seen Beachy before, but the bats did enough to drive in runs for Hamels and get the win.
Every win coming down the stretch doesn't have to be a 10-0 blowout. Sometimes, you have to buckle down and take what you can get. That's what the Phillies did tonight. Cole Hamels looked excellent once again, and Brad Lidge shut the Braves down in the ninth inning for his 24th save of the year. It was exactly what the Phillies needed to do in the first game of this series. They had to set the tone against the Braves, and they've done that now. Atlanta is now the team with their back against the wall, and the Phillies have Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt going in the next two games. Good luck.
Tomorrow night, the Phillies look for their ninth straight win and their second straight against the Braves. Roy Halladay (19-10, 2.49 ERA) goes against Mike Minor (3-1, 5.84 ERA).
Cole Hamels pitched eight innings of one run baseball, and the offense scored two unearned runs in the fifth inning to put the Phillies four games up on the Braves with just 11 games to play.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 1-4 with a run scored.
Chase Utley went 1-4 and scored a run.
Ryan Howard went 1-2 with two walks and a run scored.
Carlos Ruiz was 1-4 with an RBI.
Cole Hamels won his fifth start in a row, pitching eight innings of one run baseball. He gave up six hits and walked one while striking out six.
Brad Lidge worked a 1-2-3 inning for his 24th save of the season. He struck out two and only needed 11 pitches to finish the game.
What went wrong?
Wilson Valdez walked twice, but was 0-2.
The Phillies left nine men on base.
Game Analysis:
This is the series that is going to define the season for the Phillies. Two months ago, the Phils were down seven games to the Braves and didn't look like they had a prayer. Now, the Phillies are up four games with just 11 games left to play in the regular season. Cole Hamels was lights out again tonight, and the offense took advantage of mistakes by the Braves in the fifth inning to take the lead and win their eighth game in a row.
There really is nothing more left to say about Cole Hamels and how he's pitching this season. Let's just say that 2009 was a fluke, and move on from there, ok? Hamels has been lights out for most of this year, and since the All Star break, he's looked just as good as Roy Halladay. Tonight was his fifth straight win, and there's no sign of him slowing down. He didn't have his best fastball tonight, but he got three double plays to help him get out of trouble, and each time that he got into trouble, he was able to get out of it. That's exactly what the Phillies needed out of Hamels this season. He needed to be the best number two pitcher in the National League, and he's been that in the second half of the year. In his last five wins, Hamels has allowed just two earned runs in 28.2 innings. That's the sign of a pitcher that's back to where he needs to be. Hamels has his swagger back, and the rest of the National League has had to deal with it. It's a good thing.
To be fair, the offense didn't exactly set the world on fire tonight against the Braves and rookie Brandon Beachy, but they did enough. After leaving men on in three of the first four innings, the Phils were able to take advantage of mistakes by the Braves in the fifth inning. Shane Victorino started the inning with a triple that skipped off of the glove of Jason Heyward, and Placido Polanco and the rest of the heart of the Phillies offense did what they needed to do. Chase Utley made it to third on an error on a stolen base attempt, and Raul Ibanez drove him in to finish the scoring. In playoff type games like this, teams need to take advantage of anything that can happen, and the Phillies did that tonight. It wasn't pretty, thanks in large part to the Phillies having never seen Beachy before, but the bats did enough to drive in runs for Hamels and get the win.
Every win coming down the stretch doesn't have to be a 10-0 blowout. Sometimes, you have to buckle down and take what you can get. That's what the Phillies did tonight. Cole Hamels looked excellent once again, and Brad Lidge shut the Braves down in the ninth inning for his 24th save of the year. It was exactly what the Phillies needed to do in the first game of this series. They had to set the tone against the Braves, and they've done that now. Atlanta is now the team with their back against the wall, and the Phillies have Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt going in the next two games. Good luck.
Tomorrow night, the Phillies look for their ninth straight win and their second straight against the Braves. Roy Halladay (19-10, 2.49 ERA) goes against Mike Minor (3-1, 5.84 ERA).
Eagles Aftermath: Eagles-35, Lions-32
What happened?
Up 35-17, the Eagles almost let the Lions come all the way back and tie the game late in the fourth quarter, but a defensive stand gave the Eagles their first win of the season as Michael Vick won his first start since 2006.
The Good:
Michael Vick was very good, completing 21 of 34 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed the ball seven times for 37 yards.
LeSean McCoy had the best game of his career, picking up 120 yards on 16 carries. He scored three times, including twice in the second half.
DeSean Jackson was great as well, catching four passes for 135 yards and a touchdown.
Nate Allen looks like a great pick so far, as he intercepted another pass, giving him two in his first two games.
The Bad:
Aside from Jackson, the next leading receiver for the Eagles was Jason Avant, and he had just 33 yards on three catches.
Brent Celek only caught three passes for 27 yards.
Mike Bell was useless in short yardage situations, carrying the ball four times and not picking up a single yard.
The Ugly:
The offensive line was horrible once again. Vick was running for his life most of the game, and the Lions picked up five sacks and forced Vick to fumble twice.
The defense against Jahvid Best looked even worse than the offensive line did. Best finished the day with 78 rushing yards, 154 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Did you see the last seven minutes of the game? Not only did the Eagles go into a prevent defense that allowed the Lions to score twice and pick up a two point conversion, but Riley Cooper botched the onside kick and Detroit had a chance to win. Luckily, the defense was able to step up when they did, or things would have gotten very, very bad.
The Eagles only got to Shaun Hill twice.
The Eagles committed nine penalties for 75 yards, including two stupid personal foul calls on punts. This team has to be smarter than that.
The Breakdown:
After almost 24 hours of digesting, this game is still leaving a bad taste in my mouth. While Michael Vick looked good at quarterback, and LeSean McCoy was able to do his thing on the ground, the way that the last seven minutes of the game went were enough to make me even more worried about this season.
There was a lot of good in this game for the Eagles, though. Vick showed that his second half against the Packers wasn't a total fluke as he helped carve the Lions up through the air. He started early, as his second pass of the game was a 45 yard touchdown to DeSean Jackson, and after that, he was off and running. Jackson bounced back from a poor Week 1 as well, showing that he is still the playmaker on this Eagle offense. He's got to get more looks or catches inside the 20, however. Almost all of Jackson's touchdowns last year were outside of the red zone, and while that gives the Eagles a huge weapon, it hurts the offense when they get closer to the end zone. Defenses don't key on Jackson as much, because his speed can't hurt them the closer the Eagles get to scoring. That needs to be addressed.
LeSean McCoy got a chance to run the ball, and in doing so grabbed his first career 100 yard game on the ground. Even though he only carried the ball 16 times, he made the most of each carry and looked good against the Detroit defense. Sure, it was just the Lions, but everyone has to start somewhere, and for McCoy, a potential breakout season may have started yesterday in Detroit. With the passing game still in doubt, McCoy is going to have to have games like this through the year if the Eagles want to have a shot at a winning record this season. He's going to struggle at times as well, but anyone would behind this offensive line. The bigger focus is that when he does get the ball, he's got to do something productive. I know that sounds very simple, but it's the truth. If McCoy can make something happen with his legs, it will make the rest of the offense that much better.
Of course, not much could help the offensive line look better right now. This group is a joke, with no leaders on that line and no help anywhere. It was a problem during the preseason, and then Jamaal Jackson got to comeback for all of a quarter and a half before being knocked out for the season again. Without Jackson in there, someone else has got to step up, and there isn't anyone that really looks like they're able to do that. Jason Peters spent more time on the ground than he did protecting Vick yesterday, and the rest of the line wasn't much better. So far, through two games, the Eagles have allowed 11 sacks, and there probably would be a few more in there if Michael Vick wasn't able to run the ball so well. This is going to be a big problem all season long. The Eagles can't compete against the Redskins, Giants and Cowboys, especially with their pass rushes, with this offensive line playing as poorly as they are. Kevin Kolb is going to have permanent happy feet.
Then, there's the defense. Through two games, against NFC North opponents, the defense has allowed 59 points, which ranks dead last in the NFL. Yesterday showed how much Stewart Bradley really does mean to this team, because without him, Jahvid Best was able to kill this defense. Best had over 200 all purpose yards and scored three times against the Eagles. Omar Gaither isn't a bad middle linebacker, but he's not Bradley. The Eagles needed him yesterday in the worst way.
Having Bradley might not have helped in the fourth quarter, though. After going down 17-7, Vick managed to lead the Eagles to 28 straight points, putting them up 35-17 with just seven minutes to play. Game over, right? Well, if you're the Philadelphia Eagles, you decide to play prevent defense against the Lions. Big mistake. Detroit carved up the Eagles on their last two drives, scoring 15 points and turing an 18 point lead into a three point nail biter. Things got even worse when the Lions recovered an onside kick attempt, giving them a chance to send the game to overtime or even make a huge comeback. Luckily, the defense did enough to stop that from happening, but that's not the point here. The point is that someone on that defense should have stepped up and taken a leadership role. Brian Dawkins was the unquestioned leader of that defense while he was an Eagle, and you know that he would have gotten into every one of those players faces yesterday and gotten them to step up and make a play. No one did that for this team, though, and it's a bit unsettling. There has to be a leader on this defense, whether it's Bradley or Trent Cole or anyone else. Someone has to step up and get this team moving the way that they should be.
Yesterday should have been an easy win for the Eagles, and it almost was. Instead, it turned into a game that neither team really deserved to win. All it did was raise more questions about how this season is going to go for Philadelphia. Everyone has already said that Kevin Kolb is going to start again next week, but with this offensive line, you have to wonder if Vick isn't a better option. For the moment, at least, Vick is being a company guy and saying that it's Kolb's job, but if Kolb gets hurt or struggles again, how loud will the cries for Vick start to get in Philadelphia?
Next week, the Eagles go on the road to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. This is the only team in the NFL that the Eagles have never beaten, so a win here would be very sweet.
Up 35-17, the Eagles almost let the Lions come all the way back and tie the game late in the fourth quarter, but a defensive stand gave the Eagles their first win of the season as Michael Vick won his first start since 2006.
The Good:
Michael Vick was very good, completing 21 of 34 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed the ball seven times for 37 yards.
LeSean McCoy had the best game of his career, picking up 120 yards on 16 carries. He scored three times, including twice in the second half.
DeSean Jackson was great as well, catching four passes for 135 yards and a touchdown.
Nate Allen looks like a great pick so far, as he intercepted another pass, giving him two in his first two games.
The Bad:
Aside from Jackson, the next leading receiver for the Eagles was Jason Avant, and he had just 33 yards on three catches.
Brent Celek only caught three passes for 27 yards.
Mike Bell was useless in short yardage situations, carrying the ball four times and not picking up a single yard.
The Ugly:
The offensive line was horrible once again. Vick was running for his life most of the game, and the Lions picked up five sacks and forced Vick to fumble twice.
The defense against Jahvid Best looked even worse than the offensive line did. Best finished the day with 78 rushing yards, 154 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Did you see the last seven minutes of the game? Not only did the Eagles go into a prevent defense that allowed the Lions to score twice and pick up a two point conversion, but Riley Cooper botched the onside kick and Detroit had a chance to win. Luckily, the defense was able to step up when they did, or things would have gotten very, very bad.
The Eagles only got to Shaun Hill twice.
The Eagles committed nine penalties for 75 yards, including two stupid personal foul calls on punts. This team has to be smarter than that.
The Breakdown:
After almost 24 hours of digesting, this game is still leaving a bad taste in my mouth. While Michael Vick looked good at quarterback, and LeSean McCoy was able to do his thing on the ground, the way that the last seven minutes of the game went were enough to make me even more worried about this season.
There was a lot of good in this game for the Eagles, though. Vick showed that his second half against the Packers wasn't a total fluke as he helped carve the Lions up through the air. He started early, as his second pass of the game was a 45 yard touchdown to DeSean Jackson, and after that, he was off and running. Jackson bounced back from a poor Week 1 as well, showing that he is still the playmaker on this Eagle offense. He's got to get more looks or catches inside the 20, however. Almost all of Jackson's touchdowns last year were outside of the red zone, and while that gives the Eagles a huge weapon, it hurts the offense when they get closer to the end zone. Defenses don't key on Jackson as much, because his speed can't hurt them the closer the Eagles get to scoring. That needs to be addressed.
LeSean McCoy got a chance to run the ball, and in doing so grabbed his first career 100 yard game on the ground. Even though he only carried the ball 16 times, he made the most of each carry and looked good against the Detroit defense. Sure, it was just the Lions, but everyone has to start somewhere, and for McCoy, a potential breakout season may have started yesterday in Detroit. With the passing game still in doubt, McCoy is going to have to have games like this through the year if the Eagles want to have a shot at a winning record this season. He's going to struggle at times as well, but anyone would behind this offensive line. The bigger focus is that when he does get the ball, he's got to do something productive. I know that sounds very simple, but it's the truth. If McCoy can make something happen with his legs, it will make the rest of the offense that much better.
Of course, not much could help the offensive line look better right now. This group is a joke, with no leaders on that line and no help anywhere. It was a problem during the preseason, and then Jamaal Jackson got to comeback for all of a quarter and a half before being knocked out for the season again. Without Jackson in there, someone else has got to step up, and there isn't anyone that really looks like they're able to do that. Jason Peters spent more time on the ground than he did protecting Vick yesterday, and the rest of the line wasn't much better. So far, through two games, the Eagles have allowed 11 sacks, and there probably would be a few more in there if Michael Vick wasn't able to run the ball so well. This is going to be a big problem all season long. The Eagles can't compete against the Redskins, Giants and Cowboys, especially with their pass rushes, with this offensive line playing as poorly as they are. Kevin Kolb is going to have permanent happy feet.
Then, there's the defense. Through two games, against NFC North opponents, the defense has allowed 59 points, which ranks dead last in the NFL. Yesterday showed how much Stewart Bradley really does mean to this team, because without him, Jahvid Best was able to kill this defense. Best had over 200 all purpose yards and scored three times against the Eagles. Omar Gaither isn't a bad middle linebacker, but he's not Bradley. The Eagles needed him yesterday in the worst way.
Having Bradley might not have helped in the fourth quarter, though. After going down 17-7, Vick managed to lead the Eagles to 28 straight points, putting them up 35-17 with just seven minutes to play. Game over, right? Well, if you're the Philadelphia Eagles, you decide to play prevent defense against the Lions. Big mistake. Detroit carved up the Eagles on their last two drives, scoring 15 points and turing an 18 point lead into a three point nail biter. Things got even worse when the Lions recovered an onside kick attempt, giving them a chance to send the game to overtime or even make a huge comeback. Luckily, the defense did enough to stop that from happening, but that's not the point here. The point is that someone on that defense should have stepped up and taken a leadership role. Brian Dawkins was the unquestioned leader of that defense while he was an Eagle, and you know that he would have gotten into every one of those players faces yesterday and gotten them to step up and make a play. No one did that for this team, though, and it's a bit unsettling. There has to be a leader on this defense, whether it's Bradley or Trent Cole or anyone else. Someone has to step up and get this team moving the way that they should be.
Yesterday should have been an easy win for the Eagles, and it almost was. Instead, it turned into a game that neither team really deserved to win. All it did was raise more questions about how this season is going to go for Philadelphia. Everyone has already said that Kevin Kolb is going to start again next week, but with this offensive line, you have to wonder if Vick isn't a better option. For the moment, at least, Vick is being a company guy and saying that it's Kolb's job, but if Kolb gets hurt or struggles again, how loud will the cries for Vick start to get in Philadelphia?
Next week, the Eagles go on the road to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. This is the only team in the NFL that the Eagles have never beaten, so a win here would be very sweet.
Phillies Recap: Phillies-7, Nationals-6
Game Recap:
Down by three runs heading into the ninth inning, the Phillies had four men come to the plate against Washington closer Drew Storen. All four men scored, and Jayson Werth finished off the game with a walk off two run home run to give the Phillies their seventh win in a row.
What went right?
Placido Polanco was 2-4 and scored twice.
Chase Utley went 3-5 with a run scored.
Ryan Howard was 1-4, drove in two and scored a run.
Jayson Werth had the big game, going 3-5 with three RBI, including the game winning home run.
Raul Ibanez was 2-3 with a run scored.
Brian Schneider went 3-4 with two RBI.
What went wrong?
Shane Victorino was 0-4 and got ejected from the game in the sixth inning.
Wilson Valdez was 0-4.
Danys Baez and J.C. Romero continued to pitch like Danys Baez and J.C. Romero, allowing the Nationals to score two more runs in the seventh and eighth innings that increased their lead to 6-3.
Game Analysis:
After being bailed out for much of the last month and a half by the pitching staff, the offense decided to return the favor yesterday. With one on and no one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Jayson Werth launched a two run home run to center field that capped a remarkable comeback for the Phillies and kept them three games up on the Braves with Atlanta coming to Philadelphia for a three game set that starts tonight.
It wasn't that pretty during most of the game, though. The Nationals struck first for the third straight game, but the Phillies were able to answer right back. The offense has looked very good lately, considering how much they had been struggling during most of the summer. I mentioned Jayson Werth in the last recap, and he continued his hot streak yesterday and capped the game with a walk off home run. Ryan Howard came through with a clutch single right before Werth that scored two runs, and you have to give credit to Placido Polanco and Chase Utley for each reaching base in the ninth inning as well.
Joe Blanton wasn't horrible yesterday, but he certainly could have done better. He probably stayed in the game one or two batters too long, and the Nationals made him pay, as Michael Morse drilled a three run home run to right that gave Washington a 4-3 lead. Blanton has at least been more solid of late, and he's starting to look more like a pitcher that's woken up in the second half of the season. With Kyle Kendrick pitching well on Saturday, and Blanton looking decent yesterday, even the back end of the rotation is starting to pick things up, and that's exactly what the Phils needed coming down the stretch.
The bullpen is still a bit of a concern, as the more Danys Baez and J.C. Romero pitch, the more people want them to go away. Both of them struggled again yesterday, as they managed to turn a 4-3 game into a 6-3 game while recording just five outs between the two of them. Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge have looked very good lately, but the rest of the bullpen is still a big trouble spot. Someone else is going to have to step up and make something happen out there, because Madson can't do it all.
This game felt like a September baseball game in Philadelphia, especially over the last few years. This was a game that the Phils needed to win, and they found a way to do that. Thanks to the Mets, the Braves didn't lose any ground over the weekend, but the Phillies made sure that they didn't gain any, either. Now, the season comes down to these final 12 games, with six of them against Atlanta. No one said winning the division for a fourth year in a row was going to be easy.
Tonight, Cole Hamels (11-10, 3.01 ERA) tries to get the Phillies off to a good start in their series against the Braves. Jair Jurrjens (7-6, 4.64 ERA) will pitch for Atlanta.
Down by three runs heading into the ninth inning, the Phillies had four men come to the plate against Washington closer Drew Storen. All four men scored, and Jayson Werth finished off the game with a walk off two run home run to give the Phillies their seventh win in a row.
What went right?
Placido Polanco was 2-4 and scored twice.
Chase Utley went 3-5 with a run scored.
Ryan Howard was 1-4, drove in two and scored a run.
Jayson Werth had the big game, going 3-5 with three RBI, including the game winning home run.
Raul Ibanez was 2-3 with a run scored.
Brian Schneider went 3-4 with two RBI.
What went wrong?
Shane Victorino was 0-4 and got ejected from the game in the sixth inning.
Wilson Valdez was 0-4.
Danys Baez and J.C. Romero continued to pitch like Danys Baez and J.C. Romero, allowing the Nationals to score two more runs in the seventh and eighth innings that increased their lead to 6-3.
Game Analysis:
After being bailed out for much of the last month and a half by the pitching staff, the offense decided to return the favor yesterday. With one on and no one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Jayson Werth launched a two run home run to center field that capped a remarkable comeback for the Phillies and kept them three games up on the Braves with Atlanta coming to Philadelphia for a three game set that starts tonight.
It wasn't that pretty during most of the game, though. The Nationals struck first for the third straight game, but the Phillies were able to answer right back. The offense has looked very good lately, considering how much they had been struggling during most of the summer. I mentioned Jayson Werth in the last recap, and he continued his hot streak yesterday and capped the game with a walk off home run. Ryan Howard came through with a clutch single right before Werth that scored two runs, and you have to give credit to Placido Polanco and Chase Utley for each reaching base in the ninth inning as well.
Joe Blanton wasn't horrible yesterday, but he certainly could have done better. He probably stayed in the game one or two batters too long, and the Nationals made him pay, as Michael Morse drilled a three run home run to right that gave Washington a 4-3 lead. Blanton has at least been more solid of late, and he's starting to look more like a pitcher that's woken up in the second half of the season. With Kyle Kendrick pitching well on Saturday, and Blanton looking decent yesterday, even the back end of the rotation is starting to pick things up, and that's exactly what the Phils needed coming down the stretch.
The bullpen is still a bit of a concern, as the more Danys Baez and J.C. Romero pitch, the more people want them to go away. Both of them struggled again yesterday, as they managed to turn a 4-3 game into a 6-3 game while recording just five outs between the two of them. Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge have looked very good lately, but the rest of the bullpen is still a big trouble spot. Someone else is going to have to step up and make something happen out there, because Madson can't do it all.
This game felt like a September baseball game in Philadelphia, especially over the last few years. This was a game that the Phils needed to win, and they found a way to do that. Thanks to the Mets, the Braves didn't lose any ground over the weekend, but the Phillies made sure that they didn't gain any, either. Now, the season comes down to these final 12 games, with six of them against Atlanta. No one said winning the division for a fourth year in a row was going to be easy.
Tonight, Cole Hamels (11-10, 3.01 ERA) tries to get the Phillies off to a good start in their series against the Braves. Jair Jurrjens (7-6, 4.64 ERA) will pitch for Atlanta.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Phillie of the Week: September 12-18
This past week couldn't have gone any better for the Phillies, as they went 6-0 to extend their lead in the National League East to three games. Everything seemed to click in every game . The pitching was great, the offense was just as good, and the pieces are there for another deep playoff run. Only one player gets the nod for the top one of the last week, though. This week's Phillie of the Week is:
Raul Ibanez
Sure, it would have been easy to pick one of the three aces for this spot, but Ibanez has been lights out at the plate of late. Last week, he hit .409 with two home runs and six RBI. His late season comeback is one of the biggest reasons that the offense is looking better than ever this year. Hopefully, he can keep it up.
Raul Ibanez
Sure, it would have been easy to pick one of the three aces for this spot, but Ibanez has been lights out at the plate of late. Last week, he hit .409 with two home runs and six RBI. His late season comeback is one of the biggest reasons that the offense is looking better than ever this year. Hopefully, he can keep it up.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-5, Nationals-2
Game Recap:
The Phillies got home runs from Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez, and Kyle Kendrick only gave up two runs in six innings as the Phillies won their sixth straight game and moved their magic number for a playoff birth down to 11.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 2-4.
Ryan Howard went 1-2 with two walks and a two run home run.
Jayson Werth went 1-4 with a solo home run.
Raul Ibanez was 3-4, scoring two runs and hitting a solo home run.
Wilson freaking Valdez was 3-4 with an RBI.
Kyle Kendrick pitched his way into my good graces tonight, allowing just two runs in six innings of work. He walked one and struck out three.
Brad Lidge worked a perfect ninth inning for his 23rd save of the season.
What went wrong?
Placido Polanco went 0-5.
Ryan Madson loaded the bases in the eighth inning, only to pitch out of trouble.
The Phillies left nine men on base.
Game Analysis:
For the second straight game, the Phillies were able to take down the Nationals with the big inning. Last night, it came in two waves, as the Phils scored two runs in the second inning, and then three runs in the third. That was more than enough, thanks to Kyle Kendrick and the bullpen, and the Phillies kept their three game lead over the Braves for first place in the National League East.
The offense didn't always get the job done tonight, but they did enough for the win. Ryan Howard continued his torrid September with another home run, while Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez look like they're heating up as well. Werth hit his third home run in five games yesterday and looks like he's coming out of his slump that he had throughout most of August. The Phils once again used the big innings to get to the Nationals early, and for the second straight night, Washington's starting pitcher didn't make it through the fourth inning. Last night, Jordan Zimmerman only pitched three innings and allowed all five runs that the Phillies scored.
On the contrary, Kyle Kendrick actually looked like a competent major league pitcher last night. After he struggled in the first and second innings, Kendrick settled down and pitched well for the next four innings of work. He still didn't look great, but he managed the game well and was able to hold Washington to just two runs and six hits. Considering how he'd been pitching of late, this start was a very good thing to see. Kendrick should only have one or two more starts this season, but if he can keep pitching like he did last night, I won't be as upset to see him out on the mound.
The most important thing is that the Phillies won once again. They've now won six games in a row, and are keeping the Braves at a safe distance. The three game lead that the Phillies had coming into this weekend's series is still there, and with a series against Atlanta looming on Monday, the Phillies want to see if the Mets can somehow help them out today with a win against the Braves. Going into that series with a four game lead would be even better.
Today, the Phils close out their series with the Nationals and are hoping for another sweep. Joe Blanton (7-6, 5.00 ERA) pitches for the Phils, while Yunesky Maya (0-2, 6.55 ERA) will go for Washington.
The Phillies got home runs from Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez, and Kyle Kendrick only gave up two runs in six innings as the Phillies won their sixth straight game and moved their magic number for a playoff birth down to 11.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 2-4.
Ryan Howard went 1-2 with two walks and a two run home run.
Jayson Werth went 1-4 with a solo home run.
Raul Ibanez was 3-4, scoring two runs and hitting a solo home run.
Wilson freaking Valdez was 3-4 with an RBI.
Kyle Kendrick pitched his way into my good graces tonight, allowing just two runs in six innings of work. He walked one and struck out three.
Brad Lidge worked a perfect ninth inning for his 23rd save of the season.
What went wrong?
Placido Polanco went 0-5.
Ryan Madson loaded the bases in the eighth inning, only to pitch out of trouble.
The Phillies left nine men on base.
Game Analysis:
For the second straight game, the Phillies were able to take down the Nationals with the big inning. Last night, it came in two waves, as the Phils scored two runs in the second inning, and then three runs in the third. That was more than enough, thanks to Kyle Kendrick and the bullpen, and the Phillies kept their three game lead over the Braves for first place in the National League East.
The offense didn't always get the job done tonight, but they did enough for the win. Ryan Howard continued his torrid September with another home run, while Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez look like they're heating up as well. Werth hit his third home run in five games yesterday and looks like he's coming out of his slump that he had throughout most of August. The Phils once again used the big innings to get to the Nationals early, and for the second straight night, Washington's starting pitcher didn't make it through the fourth inning. Last night, Jordan Zimmerman only pitched three innings and allowed all five runs that the Phillies scored.
On the contrary, Kyle Kendrick actually looked like a competent major league pitcher last night. After he struggled in the first and second innings, Kendrick settled down and pitched well for the next four innings of work. He still didn't look great, but he managed the game well and was able to hold Washington to just two runs and six hits. Considering how he'd been pitching of late, this start was a very good thing to see. Kendrick should only have one or two more starts this season, but if he can keep pitching like he did last night, I won't be as upset to see him out on the mound.
The most important thing is that the Phillies won once again. They've now won six games in a row, and are keeping the Braves at a safe distance. The three game lead that the Phillies had coming into this weekend's series is still there, and with a series against Atlanta looming on Monday, the Phillies want to see if the Mets can somehow help them out today with a win against the Braves. Going into that series with a four game lead would be even better.
Today, the Phils close out their series with the Nationals and are hoping for another sweep. Joe Blanton (7-6, 5.00 ERA) pitches for the Phils, while Yunesky Maya (0-2, 6.55 ERA) will go for Washington.
Phillies Recap: Phillies-9, Nationals-1
Game Recap:
The Phillies knocked Jason Marquis out of the game in the first inning, and Roy Oswalt pitched six strong innings to get his 7th win as a member of the Phillies as the Phils took the first game of their series against Washington.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 1-3 with two walks and an RBI.
Placido Polanco went 1-5 and scored a run.
Jayson Werth went 2-4 with a solo home run and two RBI.
Raul Ibanez was 2-4, scored twice and drove in two.
Carlos Ruiz was 1-3 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored.
Wilson freaking Valdez went 1-4 with an RBI.
Roy Oswalt got the win, his 7th as a Phillie. He allowed one run on six hits in six innings of work. He walked a batter, struck out seven and drove in his first run of the season with a single in the first inning.
J.C. Romero struck out two in the ninth inning to help finish off the game.
What went wrong?
Nothing to see here, at least not from last night.
Oh, the Mets lost to the Braves, but that was to be expected.
Game Analysis:
Coming into this series, the Phillies knew that they had to watch out for the Washington Nationals. After all, the Nationals are a team that just took two out of three from Atlanta at Turner Field, making them just the second team this season to win a series down there. Things started out well for Washington last night, too. The Nats scored a first inning run off of Roy Oswalt, and Jason Marquis got Shane Victorino to pop up to start the bottom of the first. After that, it was all downhill for the Nationals. The Phillies sent 11 men to the plate in the first inning and never looked back on their way to a 9-1 win that put their magic number down to 12 games for the National League East.
After the first inning, Oswalt was his usual dominant self on the mound. He settled down and made the pitches that he needed to in the right situations. The Nationals didn't make it easy on him, but he did enough to get through six innings and just allow that one run. It wasn't his best performance of the year, but it was another win for a man that's made most Philadelphia fans forget about Cliff Lee even more. Think about how far the Phillies have come with their pitching staff in just one season. At this point last year, the Phillies had Cliff Lee and not one other pitcher that you really felt comfortable about throwing out there every night. There was Cole Hamels, in the midst of his worst season ever, Pedro Martinez, Jamie Moyer, J.A. Happ or Joe Blanton. Seriously, that was the starting rotation in the second half last season. Now, the Phils have Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels in the midst of a great bounce-back season, Roy Oswalt...and Kyle Kendrick and Joe Blanton. Either way, it still looks better than it did last year, and Oswalt's showing last night proved once again that trading for him was a move that the Phillies had to make.
The bats once again came to life last night with a typical big inning for the Phillies. This time, it was in the first inning, and it knocked Jason Marquis out of the game after just one out had been recorded. Marquis got Shane Victorino out, but then allowed the next seven batters to reach base. Six runs crossed the plate in an 11 man first inning for the Phillies. Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz would finish the damage with home runs later in the game, but they were just formalities. The Phillies came to play last night, and it showed in the way that they swung the bats in the first inning.
Usually, Jason Marquis does pitch well against the Phils. Sinkerball pitchers can get away with a little more against this team, because the Phillies do swing at a lot of low pitches. Last night, Marquis was leaving his pitches up, and the Phils took advantage early and often. It was the kind of thing that rarely happens to a decent pitcher like Marquis, and something that the Phils needed to work on in order to take last night's game. The Nationals want to play spoiler this year, they really do. They always play the Phillies tough, and nothings going to change about that. At least last night the Phils got a leg up on everything with a series opening win. Now all they have to do is win the next two games and see if the Braves can drop one of two to the Mets. At this point, all the Phillies have to do is keep winning.
Tonight, Kyle Kendrick (9-9, 4.85 ERA) tries once again to not suck as he faces Jordan Zimmerman (0-1, 5.29 ERA).
The Phillies knocked Jason Marquis out of the game in the first inning, and Roy Oswalt pitched six strong innings to get his 7th win as a member of the Phillies as the Phils took the first game of their series against Washington.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 1-3 with two walks and an RBI.
Placido Polanco went 1-5 and scored a run.
Jayson Werth went 2-4 with a solo home run and two RBI.
Raul Ibanez was 2-4, scored twice and drove in two.
Carlos Ruiz was 1-3 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored.
Wilson freaking Valdez went 1-4 with an RBI.
Roy Oswalt got the win, his 7th as a Phillie. He allowed one run on six hits in six innings of work. He walked a batter, struck out seven and drove in his first run of the season with a single in the first inning.
J.C. Romero struck out two in the ninth inning to help finish off the game.
What went wrong?
Nothing to see here, at least not from last night.
Oh, the Mets lost to the Braves, but that was to be expected.
Game Analysis:
Coming into this series, the Phillies knew that they had to watch out for the Washington Nationals. After all, the Nationals are a team that just took two out of three from Atlanta at Turner Field, making them just the second team this season to win a series down there. Things started out well for Washington last night, too. The Nats scored a first inning run off of Roy Oswalt, and Jason Marquis got Shane Victorino to pop up to start the bottom of the first. After that, it was all downhill for the Nationals. The Phillies sent 11 men to the plate in the first inning and never looked back on their way to a 9-1 win that put their magic number down to 12 games for the National League East.
After the first inning, Oswalt was his usual dominant self on the mound. He settled down and made the pitches that he needed to in the right situations. The Nationals didn't make it easy on him, but he did enough to get through six innings and just allow that one run. It wasn't his best performance of the year, but it was another win for a man that's made most Philadelphia fans forget about Cliff Lee even more. Think about how far the Phillies have come with their pitching staff in just one season. At this point last year, the Phillies had Cliff Lee and not one other pitcher that you really felt comfortable about throwing out there every night. There was Cole Hamels, in the midst of his worst season ever, Pedro Martinez, Jamie Moyer, J.A. Happ or Joe Blanton. Seriously, that was the starting rotation in the second half last season. Now, the Phils have Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels in the midst of a great bounce-back season, Roy Oswalt...and Kyle Kendrick and Joe Blanton. Either way, it still looks better than it did last year, and Oswalt's showing last night proved once again that trading for him was a move that the Phillies had to make.
The bats once again came to life last night with a typical big inning for the Phillies. This time, it was in the first inning, and it knocked Jason Marquis out of the game after just one out had been recorded. Marquis got Shane Victorino out, but then allowed the next seven batters to reach base. Six runs crossed the plate in an 11 man first inning for the Phillies. Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz would finish the damage with home runs later in the game, but they were just formalities. The Phillies came to play last night, and it showed in the way that they swung the bats in the first inning.
Usually, Jason Marquis does pitch well against the Phils. Sinkerball pitchers can get away with a little more against this team, because the Phillies do swing at a lot of low pitches. Last night, Marquis was leaving his pitches up, and the Phils took advantage early and often. It was the kind of thing that rarely happens to a decent pitcher like Marquis, and something that the Phils needed to work on in order to take last night's game. The Nationals want to play spoiler this year, they really do. They always play the Phillies tough, and nothings going to change about that. At least last night the Phils got a leg up on everything with a series opening win. Now all they have to do is win the next two games and see if the Braves can drop one of two to the Mets. At this point, all the Phillies have to do is keep winning.
Tonight, Kyle Kendrick (9-9, 4.85 ERA) tries once again to not suck as he faces Jordan Zimmerman (0-1, 5.29 ERA).
Friday, September 17, 2010
No Kolb, no Bradley...Oh boy.
Did anyone not see this coming? After both getting knocked out of the first half of last week's game against the Packers, Kevin Kolb and Stewart Bradley were both declared out for this Sunday's game in Detroit against the Lions. Omar Gaither will make the start in place of Bradley, while Michael Vick will start for the first time since before he went to prison.
To be fair, the loss of Bradley might hurt more than the loss of Kolb. Despite playing against a team that wasn't prepared for him, Vick played well against the Packers, and has now had an entire week to get ready for the Lions as the starter. Of course, that also means that the Lions have had a week to prepare for Vick as the starter, but planning for Michael Vick, even this Michael Vick, takes a little bit more than the usual quarterback. Honestly, if the offensive line struggles like it did last week, Vick looks like the better quarterback option than Kolb. I'm not advocating starting Vick for the entire season, not at all. I'm just saying that, for this week at least, that Vick should be the starter.
Kevin Kolb got the stuffing knocked out of him in a poor start last week, and he shouldn't start this week. Concussions are nothing to mess around with, especially when you're a quarterback with an average at best offensive line. I'd rather have Vick start a game or two now than have Kolb ruin the rest of his season and possibly his career with another concussion or two this season. Just look at how things went down with Brian Westbrook last season for an example of how not to handle concussions.
The story is the same for Stewart Bradley. The man knocked himself out last week, came in to play for the rest of the first half, and then left the game. He shouldn't have even come back into the game. As a middle linebacker, you take some of the worst punishment on hits than anyone else on the field. Omar Gaither has started in the past, and he can do so again for a week or so. It's not the end of the world, however, the Lions do have a decent running attack that's going to be the focus of their game on Sunday. Without Matt Stafford, Shaun Hill is going to be giving the ball to rookie Jahvid Best a lot more, even with the focus on Calvin Johnson. Gaither is going to have to focus on Best, and the secondary is going to have to do their job on Johnson, because if they don't it's going to be a long day for the Eagles.
Best case scenario? Gaither plays well, and Vick manages the game to pick up the first win of the season. If Gaither doesn't play well, the defense might struggle more than it did at times last week, and Vick might have to do even more, just adding to the possible quarterback controversy that is brewing at the moment.
CSNPhilly.com: Kolb and Bradley out for Sunday.
To be fair, the loss of Bradley might hurt more than the loss of Kolb. Despite playing against a team that wasn't prepared for him, Vick played well against the Packers, and has now had an entire week to get ready for the Lions as the starter. Of course, that also means that the Lions have had a week to prepare for Vick as the starter, but planning for Michael Vick, even this Michael Vick, takes a little bit more than the usual quarterback. Honestly, if the offensive line struggles like it did last week, Vick looks like the better quarterback option than Kolb. I'm not advocating starting Vick for the entire season, not at all. I'm just saying that, for this week at least, that Vick should be the starter.
Kevin Kolb got the stuffing knocked out of him in a poor start last week, and he shouldn't start this week. Concussions are nothing to mess around with, especially when you're a quarterback with an average at best offensive line. I'd rather have Vick start a game or two now than have Kolb ruin the rest of his season and possibly his career with another concussion or two this season. Just look at how things went down with Brian Westbrook last season for an example of how not to handle concussions.
The story is the same for Stewart Bradley. The man knocked himself out last week, came in to play for the rest of the first half, and then left the game. He shouldn't have even come back into the game. As a middle linebacker, you take some of the worst punishment on hits than anyone else on the field. Omar Gaither has started in the past, and he can do so again for a week or so. It's not the end of the world, however, the Lions do have a decent running attack that's going to be the focus of their game on Sunday. Without Matt Stafford, Shaun Hill is going to be giving the ball to rookie Jahvid Best a lot more, even with the focus on Calvin Johnson. Gaither is going to have to focus on Best, and the secondary is going to have to do their job on Johnson, because if they don't it's going to be a long day for the Eagles.
Best case scenario? Gaither plays well, and Vick manages the game to pick up the first win of the season. If Gaither doesn't play well, the defense might struggle more than it did at times last week, and Vick might have to do even more, just adding to the possible quarterback controversy that is brewing at the moment.
CSNPhilly.com: Kolb and Bradley out for Sunday.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Phillies Recap: Phillies-10, Marlins-5
Game Recap:
Roy Halladay didn't have his best stuff on the mound, but the offense did more than enough as the Phillies finished their three game sweep over the Marlins and moved to three games up in the National League East.
What went right?
Shane Victorino went 2-6 with a run scored and an RBI.
Placido Polanco only had one hit in six at bats, but it drove in a run.
Chase Utley was 1-4 with a walk, two runs scored and a home run.
Ryan Howard didn't pick up a hit, but he did walk three times and scored twice.
Jayson Werth was 1-4 with an RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base.
Raul Ibanez went 3-5, driving in two and scoring twice.
Carlos Ruiz was 2-4 with a run scored.
Wilson freaking Valdez went 3-5 with two RBI.
Roy Halladay picked up his 19th win of the season, the most since John Denny won 19 back in 1983. He allowed three runs on ten hits in six innings of work. He didn't walk a batter and struck out nine.
What went wrong?
Brad Lidge came in to pitch the ninth inning, and turned it into a save situation. He walked in a run and gave up a single hit. He only recorded one out before being lifted from the game for Jose Contreras.
Game Analysis:
Coming into this series with the Marlins, the Phillies had to take at least two of three and hope that the Washington Nationals would try their hardest to play spoiler against the Atlanta Braves. Well, three days later, and the Phillies swept the Marlins and got some help from the Nationals, who took two of three from the Braves to put the Phils up three games in the National League East with just two weeks to play.
Last night, it was the offense that once again jumped on Florida pitching. The Marlins shut Josh Johnson down for the season before this series, so instead of Roy Halladay pitching against him for the third time this year, it turned out that the Phils would get to face the Florida bullpen for nine innings. That went well...for the Phillies. Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez drove in three runs in the first inning, and by the time the fourth inning was over, it was 8-1, and the Phillies were cruising. The bats looked great last night after taking Tuesday off. Even with that two run showing in the middle game of this series, the Phillies put up 23 runs in their three games against the Marlins, showing that the offense, no matter how much they've struggled this year, can still hit with the best of them.
Shane Victorino in particular has started to look very comfortable in the leadoff position. Ever since Jimmy Rollins injured his hamstring again, Victorino has picked up the slack and looked very good as the top batter in this lineup. Earlier in the year, he struggled with the pressure of being a leadoff hitter, but now, it's starting to come much more naturally to him, or at least that's what it looks like. He's getting on base more, and Placido Polanco and the rest of the top of the Phillie lineup is doing what they have to do to drive him in. In these past three games, the Phillies scored in the first or second inning in all three. When you can get this pitching staff an early lead, then you should be confident about getting another win.
I'm starting to get a little concerned about Roy Halladay, though. Despite picking up his National League leading 19th win of the season last night, he labored at times, throwing over 100 pitches in just six innings. While part of that has to do with the same patience that Cole Hamels saw with the Marlins batters on Tuesday night, part of it might also have to do with the fact that Halladay has pitched the most innings in baseball this season. The Phillies are going to want to try and get this division clinched as quickly as possible. If they can get Halladay a start off to let him rest up for the playoffs, that would be for the best. He's already pitched 234.2 innings this year, and with at least two more starts to go, that number is going to climb. Plus, you have to throw in the potential playoff starts as well, and if the Phillies go far, Halladay's looking at possibly reaching 300 innings of work this season. That's a lot for a man that's never pitched that much, even Roy Halladay. The Phils have got to hope to get this race over with sooner, rather than later.
That being said, this last road trip could not have gone much better. The Phils took two of three from the Mets and swept the Marlins to put themselves not only in first place, but three games up on the Atlanta Braves, who somehow dropped two of three to the Washington Nationals. The Phillies have an off day today, and then they start up their last homestand of the season.
That homestand will start with a three game series against the Washington Nationals. Roy Oswalt (12-13, 2.94 ERA) pitches for the Phillies, and Jason Marquis (2-8, 6.60 ERA) goes for Washington.
Roy Halladay didn't have his best stuff on the mound, but the offense did more than enough as the Phillies finished their three game sweep over the Marlins and moved to three games up in the National League East.
What went right?
Shane Victorino went 2-6 with a run scored and an RBI.
Placido Polanco only had one hit in six at bats, but it drove in a run.
Chase Utley was 1-4 with a walk, two runs scored and a home run.
Ryan Howard didn't pick up a hit, but he did walk three times and scored twice.
Jayson Werth was 1-4 with an RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base.
Raul Ibanez went 3-5, driving in two and scoring twice.
Carlos Ruiz was 2-4 with a run scored.
Wilson freaking Valdez went 3-5 with two RBI.
Roy Halladay picked up his 19th win of the season, the most since John Denny won 19 back in 1983. He allowed three runs on ten hits in six innings of work. He didn't walk a batter and struck out nine.
What went wrong?
Brad Lidge came in to pitch the ninth inning, and turned it into a save situation. He walked in a run and gave up a single hit. He only recorded one out before being lifted from the game for Jose Contreras.
Game Analysis:
Coming into this series with the Marlins, the Phillies had to take at least two of three and hope that the Washington Nationals would try their hardest to play spoiler against the Atlanta Braves. Well, three days later, and the Phillies swept the Marlins and got some help from the Nationals, who took two of three from the Braves to put the Phils up three games in the National League East with just two weeks to play.
Last night, it was the offense that once again jumped on Florida pitching. The Marlins shut Josh Johnson down for the season before this series, so instead of Roy Halladay pitching against him for the third time this year, it turned out that the Phils would get to face the Florida bullpen for nine innings. That went well...for the Phillies. Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez drove in three runs in the first inning, and by the time the fourth inning was over, it was 8-1, and the Phillies were cruising. The bats looked great last night after taking Tuesday off. Even with that two run showing in the middle game of this series, the Phillies put up 23 runs in their three games against the Marlins, showing that the offense, no matter how much they've struggled this year, can still hit with the best of them.
Shane Victorino in particular has started to look very comfortable in the leadoff position. Ever since Jimmy Rollins injured his hamstring again, Victorino has picked up the slack and looked very good as the top batter in this lineup. Earlier in the year, he struggled with the pressure of being a leadoff hitter, but now, it's starting to come much more naturally to him, or at least that's what it looks like. He's getting on base more, and Placido Polanco and the rest of the top of the Phillie lineup is doing what they have to do to drive him in. In these past three games, the Phillies scored in the first or second inning in all three. When you can get this pitching staff an early lead, then you should be confident about getting another win.
I'm starting to get a little concerned about Roy Halladay, though. Despite picking up his National League leading 19th win of the season last night, he labored at times, throwing over 100 pitches in just six innings. While part of that has to do with the same patience that Cole Hamels saw with the Marlins batters on Tuesday night, part of it might also have to do with the fact that Halladay has pitched the most innings in baseball this season. The Phillies are going to want to try and get this division clinched as quickly as possible. If they can get Halladay a start off to let him rest up for the playoffs, that would be for the best. He's already pitched 234.2 innings this year, and with at least two more starts to go, that number is going to climb. Plus, you have to throw in the potential playoff starts as well, and if the Phillies go far, Halladay's looking at possibly reaching 300 innings of work this season. That's a lot for a man that's never pitched that much, even Roy Halladay. The Phils have got to hope to get this race over with sooner, rather than later.
That being said, this last road trip could not have gone much better. The Phils took two of three from the Mets and swept the Marlins to put themselves not only in first place, but three games up on the Atlanta Braves, who somehow dropped two of three to the Washington Nationals. The Phillies have an off day today, and then they start up their last homestand of the season.
That homestand will start with a three game series against the Washington Nationals. Roy Oswalt (12-13, 2.94 ERA) pitches for the Phillies, and Jason Marquis (2-8, 6.60 ERA) goes for Washington.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)