Phillies Phollowers

Free Agency Kicks Off

2009-11-20T21:12:28Z

Free agent signings officially kicked off today and one of the top needs for the Phillies is a third baseman. Although, do not expect them to jump too quickly; it will likely be a while before they settle on a player. The front runner appears to be Mark DeRosa (Cardinals). The Phils have courted him before and he should be within their price range. Plus, DeRosa is from the area, growing up in Passaic, New Jersey and attending the University of Pennsylvania.

The big free agent name at third appears to be Chone Figgins. However, Figgins also appears to be out of the Phillies price range. Placido Polanco is an option, but the Phillies would have to give up a 1st round draft choice to sign him. Adrian Beltre is another option, but he is defensively weaker than DeRosa. So, odds are pretty good on DeRosa, but who knows.

As for bullpen help, the pickings are slim. A few good options may be Mike Gonzalez (LHP) and Rafael Soriano (RHP), both from Atlanta. Rafael Betancourt, Jose Valverde, Octavio Dotel and Bob Howry are all good right-handers, but each is getting up there in age. Left-handed help is even scarcer, so let us hope Scott Eyre will return.

More Awards

You probably know by now that Charlie Manuel came in 6th place for the Manager of the Year voting. That's right, 6th place for taking his team to back-to-back World Series. But this is just one more revealing award that shows the idiocy of the voting process for these honors. No shock there. Jim Tracy of the Rockies took home the prize.

But if you would like to voice your opinion this awards season, log on at MLB.com and vote for the This Year in Baseball awards. Candidates include Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, JA Happ, Jayson Werth and even Emily, the cute little girl who tossed the ball her Daddy caught back towards the field. And of course, you can give props to Manuel for the TYIB manager award.

Photo by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

No Happ-Y Ending for the Rookie

2009-11-16T22:31:22Z

What would have been the perfect ending to an outstanding season for rookie pitcher JA Happ went instead to Chris Coghlan of the Marlins. The Rookie of the Year award is voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America and this year, it looks like they may have gotten it wrong.

While it is difficult to compare a hitter like Coghlan to a pitcher like Happ, perhaps the deciding factor should be which player had the greatest impact on their team? Happ filled the void left by starters Brett Myers and Jamie Moyer; without him, the Phillies would not have made the playoffs. Coghlan's resume is impressive, but his team did not go to the post-season.

To review, Happ went 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA, topping all rookies in innings pitched (166), strikeouts (119), complete game shut-outs (2) and 3 total shut-outs. Coghlan hit .321 with 9 homers, 47 RBI, 162 hits and a .390 on-base percentage. Again, difficult to compare, but clearly good pitching beats good hitting as has been demonstrated by years of baseball past.

So while myself and probably a lot of people feel that Happ was snubbed having come in 2nd place, these awards are seldom fair. But the second place finish does not diminish what was an amazing season for Happ, who has more than proved his worth to this team. As a consolation prize, I hereby dub JA Happ the "Fan Rookie of the Year"! Yes, complete with a photo montage:

In other news, the Phillies have removed the following players from the 40-man roster, making them free agents: Eric Bruntlett, Tyler Walker, Paul Hoover, Andy Tracy and John Ennis. Tracy will likely be back next year with the Iron Pigs (AAA) in Allentown as well as Ennis. Hoover may find himself serving as a back-up catcher if not one fills that spot right away. But it does look like Bruntlett and Walker will probably be gone.

Free agent signings will begin on Friday.

Photos by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

Silver & Gold

2009-11-13T20:10:32Z

Is anyone else as bored as I am this off-season? It has been 9 whole days without baseball; the more than 1 week layoff has me going a tad stir-crazy. Want to see how bored I am? Read on...

What's In A Name

Shakespeare said that a rose, if by any other name, would still smell as sweet. But what if we called it a carnation instead? Or how about a dandelion? It still smells good, but doesn't "rose" just sound better?

The question I pose then is does the Silver Slugger award seem to denote, if only in name alone, that it is a runner-up to the Gold Glove award? Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino both took home a Gold Glove this year and now, Chase Utley has been awarded his 4th consecutive Silver Slugger. All these awards are obviously well deserved, but should the "Sluggers" feel slighted that their awards are only silver and not gold?

Ok, so both of the words "Silver Slugger" start with "S" and "Gold Glove" with "G"...I get that. Very cute in a Sesame Street kind of way. But why can't we just call it the "Great Big Bat" award? I do not know any man on the planet that would not be thrilled with both the name and the connotation ;o) And since it is all about size here, why not a "Gigantic Glove" award in stead of "Gold"? I mean, aren't the words "Gold" and "Silver" kind of woosie and girly in nature? Toss those out and give us some masculine power phrases! Put some testosterone into it! The legal kind, of course ;o)

I therefore dub Chase Utley the winner of the Great Big Bat Award! There, don't you feel better now? Expressions of gratitude are accepted in all forms....thanks ;o)

Speaking of thanks, check out this interview with the Utley's at home that Access Hollywood put together. The wife, Jen Utley, tells Chase she loves him as he is getting ready to leave the house at the end of the video. And his response? "Thanks." See, I told you he needed a more masculine award name because that response if off the charts caveman-style. Funny stuff...

A Pop Culture Moment

Totally unrelated to baseball, has everyone heard about poor little Taylor Swift? It seems that the teenage Country singing star just cannot stay out of the firing line. First, Kanye West crushed her little soul when he interrupted her "Best Female Video" acceptance speech at the VMA Awards and lobbied that Beyonce should have won. West later apologized and heaps of bad jokes ensued.

Then in a more recent twist, poor Swift was dissed by Country Queen, Wynonna Judd in an interview. Judd told USA Today that all the awards Swift received at the CMA Awards were "too much, too soon." But of course, Judd quickly apologized for the remarks and heaped praise upon the 19-year old.

However, the real back-breaker was when Jenn of Phillies Phollowers said on her blog, at this exact moment, "I do not like Taylor Swift's music. Frankly, it sucks." Jenn remains unapologetic to this very minute. No word yet on the potential fall-out that is sure to ensue...stay tuned!

Photo by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

Good As Gold

2009-11-12T12:25:56Z

If all that glitters is gold, Phillies Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino have enough bling to go around. Both players were awarded the Rawlings Gold Glove Award in their respective positions yesterday. For the shortstop Rollins, it is his third Gold Glove in a row; for centerfielder Victorino, this makes two in a row. Rollins had only 6 errors all year, which was the best among all qualifying players. Victorino had a .997 fielding percentage, 2nd best in the NL among outfielders, and 5 assists.

On the injury front, Brad Lidge had surgery yesterday to repair his right flexor tendon as well as remove loose bodies from his elbow. It was not known before the surgery if the tendon was damaged, but it appears Lidge was worse off than anyone let on. That fact has caused quite a stir among fans who are very disappointed about the whole situation. Tell me again why Lidge was pitching with serious injuries, especially in the World Series?

But everyone must look forward now and it appears that Lidge will not be ready for the start of Spring Training. As a result, the Phillies have been reportedly looking for another / back-up closer. They need bullpen help anyway, so this is no surprise.

As for the Roy Halladay / Cole Hamels rumors, GM Ruben Amaro Jr. insists this will not happen. Again, not much of a surprise as such a trade was a long shot at best. In fact, the Jays demands are still very high, so it is possible that Halladay may not go anywhere.

Thank you everyone for the comments yesterday on this topic :O) And to clarify, I have not given up on Hamels. Odds are that he will rebound and have a better year. However, the thought of a Cliff Lee - Roy Halladay combo, two proven veterans, is an exciting thought. Think about it this way: The Phillies window to win another championship is closing. We will probably have Lee only for 1 more year as he is going to command Yankees-type money, which the Phillies historically are unwilling to pay. They may strike a deal with him, but do not hold your breath. The core of the team is intact for a while, but the pitching overall has been shaky down the stretch. If the Phillies can get a quality third baseman, improve the pen and add or develop a solid starter, they could be unstoppable in 2010. In my humble opinion, they need to toss everything, including the kitchen sink, at this 2010 team.

But sadly, the Phils do not have the payroll of many other teams; the Phillies rank 7th, which is very high, but still $88,445,143 less than the Yankees, as an example. That equals almost 4 CC Sabathia's and nearly 8 Chase Utley's. I don't know about you, but I would take 8 Chase Utley's anyday. And no, I am not jumping on the "buying a Championship" bandwagon which I hear a lot about the Yankees. I believe they still have to play the game, regardless of income. And this year, the Yanks played better than anyone else. But would an additional $88 million be a BIG boost for the Phillies or any other team...obviously, the answer is "yes."

But that is just a dream and the Phillies will need to do the best with what they have. Hopefully, that will include a few more quality pitchers.

Photo by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

Will There Be An Early Christmas Halladay For The Phillies?

2009-11-10T16:05:19Z

Oh yes, here we go again... It is only mid-November and the Roy Halladay rumor mill is already in full swing. While the Phillies were unable to strike a deal with the Blue Jays in July for the star pitcher and instead wound up with Cliff Lee (and we are all ok with that, of course), the Jays may still be looking for a chance to get Halladay off their payroll.

If the Phillies can manage a deal for Halladay, odds are they will have to pay much less for him than they would have in July since now he is only good for one potential post-season instead of two. But the Jays are probably still interested in the Phillies top prospect, Kyle Drabek, whom the Phillies are unlikely to part with. In an interesting twist however, it has also been rumored that the Jays might be willing to take Cole Hamels. Can I get a Hallelujah and an Amen to that possibility?!!

Although Hamels is six years younger than Halladay, he had a terrible season for the Phillies and most fans are sick of his emotional issues, media faux pas and lack of composure on the mound. Odds are, not many people would be sad about such a trade. Sadly, if this were rumored last season, there may have been riots in the street full of angry fans unwilling to let the World Series MVP go. But now? Not so much...

Besides upgrading the pitching staff, it appears the Phillies now need a third baseman as Pedro Feliz did not have his option picked up. The Phillies can still sign him as agree agent if they come to an agreement, but it looks more likely that the Phils will look elsewhere. Feliz had a decent season, but I think he really screwed himself in the playoffs where he hit only .167, made unproductive outs in crucial situations and hit into double plays that killed rallies. Plus, he is 34 years old, which does not help his case.

The top prospects for third base right now are Chone Figgins, Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa and former Phillie, Placido Polanco. Figgins would be the best choice, although fans loved Polanco when he was here and many were upset when Chase Utley took his job. Hind sight, as they say, is 20/20.

Back in 2005 when Polanco went to the Tigers, many Phillies fans felt he should have been moved to 3rd base to keep him on the team, myself included. As it turns out, had the Phillies done so, Polanco would likely still be with us. Up to that point, he had moved back and forth from 2nd to 3rd base for years. But after going to the Tigers, it was 2nd base all the way. The question then with Polanco is, could he transition back to 3rd after more than 4 years steady at 2nd? That may be too big a question for the Phillies to consider taking him.

So, third base is wide open right now and several other Phillies have filed for free agency; Chan Ho Park, Matt Stairs, Paul Bako, Pedro Martinez and Miguel Cairo. The Phillies will not likely sign Martinez again, as he will command too hefty a salary and they need a more consistent arm. Park is a possibility, Cairo and Bako will probably not be back and Stairs I am not too sure about. My feeling was that he might retire, but since he has filed, I now do not know what is on his mind. But this leaves the Phillies with the need for a back-up catcher, a right handed bat off the bench and a variety of pitching needs.

As for our walking wounded, both Scott Eyre and Raul Ibanez had successful surgeries yesterday and are expected to make recoveries before Spring Training. Eyre may or may not decide to retire so his future is uncertain. Ibanez, we hope, will be back to 2009 first-half form. Brad Lidge will have surgery tomorrow. What exactly is wrong with him will be an interesting revelation. We should have more information in the days to come.

Feliz photo by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

The Walking Wounded

2009-11-08T17:50:17Z

Is there a doctor in the house? Apparently, there are a few very busy doctors in the Phillies clubhouse since the season ended. It had already been disclosed that Scott Eyre was pitching the latter half of the season with bone chips in his elbow, so the fact that he will have surgery tomorrow is no surprise. Eyre performed admirably despite the injury and ended the regular season with a 1.50 ERA in 42 appearances and a 2.08 ERA in the post-season. His future is uncertain though; the Phillies may offer him a spot if surgery goes well, but he also may simply choose to retire and be home with his family. It will be a while before any decisions are made.

But the fact that Raul Ibanez was hurt the entire second half of the year was not disclosed until Sports Illustrated broke the story in late October that Ibanez was playing through both a sore groin and an abdominal tear. Ibanez will have surgery Monday as well for a sports hernia. But this begs the question, had the Phillies carried on without Ibanez and gave the playing time to a healthy Ben Francisco, would that have helped their chances to win the World Series?

Ibanez was hitting .312 before the All-Star break; afterwards, he hit only .232. And in the post-season, he managed only a .259 average and a .481 slugging percentage. Whether or not Francisco could have been a bigger producer if he was given the playing time prior to the post-season, we will never know. But the Phillies had other options and instead left Ibanez in; it appears that may have hurt the team's chances. We all admire Ibanez for his determination, but the decision is questionable based on the results.

And then the big X-Factor, Brad Lidge. The decision to keep Lidge on as the closer for the post-season may have single handedly destroyed the Phillies repeat hopes. Because as it turns out, Lidge also had serious injuries for most of the year. He will have surgery on Wednesday to remove loose bodies from his elbow and may also have damage to his right flexor tendon. Whether or not the Phillies were aware of this before or during the playoffs has not been announced. But it does raise eyebrows.

The Phillies were on the verge of a huge comeback in Game 4 of the World Series when Pedro Feliz knocked a game-tying homer in the 8th inning. Had they won the game, the Phillies would have been tied 2-2 with the Yankees and momentum would have been on their side, especially with Cliff Lee pitching the next day. But Lidge blew any chance of that happening when he allowed 3 runs in the 9th and dashed the Phillies hopes. I strongly believe that was the turning point that handed the series over to the Yankees.

So the question then is, with such injuries plus his entire 2009 history, why was Lidge allowed to pitch? Obviously, Lidge knew something was wrong. If he did not tell, then shame on him. If he did and the Phillies choose to let him go out there anyway, shame on the management. Either way, the Lidge experiment, along with the Cole Hamels experiment and other injuries, took down the Phillies this year.

And the real shame here is that there were other pitchers who could have filled in; JA Happ for Hamels, Ryan Madson or Chan Ho Park for Lidge. You know the saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it?" Well, what is it IS broke? That is a question the Phillies will be asking themselves all off-season.

In other news, Brett Myers was told he will not be with the Phillies next year. He is currently a free agent. Pedro Feliz is still in limbo with the status of his contract option.

Player photos by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

Phillies 2009 Year In Review

2009-11-06T20:02:00Z

2009 was an outstanding season for the Philadelphia Phillies in many ways. Not only did they return to the World Series for the second consecutive year, but when you look at everything they had to endure to do so, the feat becomes that much more impressive. Here is a look at the obstacles the team overcame in 2009 and also some of the season highlights:

Obstacles Overcome

The loss of our beloved Harry Kalas
The 2008 World Series hangover
Injuries to every member of the bullpen
Losing the #2 starter (Brett Myers) at the beginning of the year
Watching the #1 starter, Cole Hamels, go through weird injuries, bad luck and a very bad season
JC Romero's unwarranted 50-game suspension
Lack of production from the bench players
The June Swoon (11-15 record)
The struggles and eventual season ending injury of Jamie Moyer
The injury to Raul Ibanez right before the All-Star break; Ibanez went from super hot to totally not afterwards.
Offensive slumps throughout the year
A down year and very slow start from the offensive engine, Jimmy Rollins
Brad Lidge going from first to worst among closers

Highlights

The Ring Ceremony
The White House visit
Eric Bruntlett's game-ending, unassisted triple play
Cliff Lee - a gift from Heaven (and Ruben Amaro Jr.)
Jayson Werth becomes a solid, productive everyday player
Pedro Feliz had off-season back surgery, recovered well and became a real contributor offensively
JA Happ emerged as rookie sensation with 12 wins and the lowest team ERA among starters (2.93)
Jamie Moyer wins career game #250
The Phillies visit with J-Roll Smurf (more of a personal highlight, but a highlight nonetheless)
Chase Utley - enough said
Ryan Howard becomes the fastest player ever to reach 200 career home runs
Ryan Howard knocks the most grand slams in Phillies history
A 3-game sweep of the Mets in July
The 10 game winning streak, July 8-21
The two Old Goats, Jamie Moyer & Pedro Martinez, combine to win 2 games in August that were split up by rain delays
5 Phillies players, plus all coaches, go to the All-Star game
Jayson Werth steals home against Dodgers
Franchise record set for attendance and sellout games; 3,600,693 fans and 73 sellouts in 81 home games, finishing 3rd in baseball for total and average attendance
Return to World Series

Congratulations to the 2009 National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies!

In other news:

The 2009 coaching staff have all been invited to return next year.
Cliff Lee's 8 million dollar club option was picked up (no surprise here) for 2010.
Raul Ibanez, Scott Eyre and Brad Lidge will all be seen by team doctors this weekend to determine if surgeries will be needed. Eyre has loose bodies in his elbow and Lidge may have the same. Ibanez has a tear in his abdomen and a hip issue.
No word yet on Pedro Feliz's club option, but it will be decided by Monday.
Photos by Jenn, except White House

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

Disappointment For Phillies; Exuberance For Yankees

2009-11-05T04:21:38Z

Disappointment: The feeling of dissatisfaction that follows the failure of expectations to manifest. It is a source of psychological stress. Synonyms: failure, defeat, frustration (courtesy of Wikipedia).

And disappointment is what Philadelphia is left with after their failure to repeat as World Champions. Instead, with a 3-7 Phillies loss tonight, the Yankees brought home their 27th World Series title. The Phillies are left with the consolation prize as National League Champs.

After winning Game 1, the Phillies looked poised for a repeat. Game 2 went to the Yankees in a relatively fair battle. Game 3 was the real turning point as Cole Hamels did not perform well and the offense could not bail him out. But things got much worse in Game 4 where Brad Lidge gave up 3 runs in the 9th after the Phillies had battled to tie up the game prior to that. The Hamels and Lidge killer combo made for two gut-wrenching losses and a serious turn in the tide.

Cliff Lee won his second game of the series in Game 5 and kept the Phillies alive for one more day, along with the bat of Chase Utley which appeared unstoppable. But back in New York for Game 6, Utley and the Phillies were stopped.

Pitching wins ball games and the Yankees had better pitching. Andy Pettitte was spectacular on only 3 days rest. Pedro Martinez, on the other hand, had a full 5 days rest and still gave up 4 runs in 4 innings. All 4 of those runs, plus 2 more later in the game, came off the bat of Hideki Matsui. After hitting a homer off Martinez in Game 2 and then again tonight in the 2nd inning, why Martinez was left in the game to pitch to Matsui again in the 3rd is a mystery. JA Happ was up and ready in the bullpen, but Charlie Manuel left Martinez in to pitch to a guy who clearly had his number. That mistake was the back-breaker as Matsui hit a 2-run single.

The bullpen gave up 3 more runs and the 7-1 deficit looked to be near impossible to erase for the Phillies. The offense attempted to battle back; Ryan Howard knocked a 2-run homer in the 6th but then Pedro Feliz left his 5th base runner of the night stranded as he grounded out to third base. In the 7th, the previously clutch Chase Utley struck out with 2 outs and 2 men on base. That put the nail in the coffin.

So the Phillies came up short, which just plain sucks. But they put up a good fight and overall, the season was a great success. To have made it back to the World Series two years in a row is quite an accomplishment. And while that does not make us feel any better right now, remember you will not be suffering alone. It's me, you, a bottle of Vodka and a tiny dancing bear wearing a pink tutu...oh sorry, I digress... Just find your happy place, go there and do not come out until Spring Training. At least that is what the voices in my head keep telling me...

Congratulations to the Yankees and their fans, especially my Yankee friends here in the MLBlogs community. Enjoy the moment.

By the way, as luck would have it, there was an article printed about me in the local newspaper today about my Phillies-fandom. So, not only do the Phillies lose today, but the reporter totally spelt my name wrong. What does this mean? Tomorrow, total strangers who recognize me from the paper will either console or harass me over this loss. If you see me wandering about with that target on my back, please be kind ;O) Thank you in advance...

The Ut-Lee Show Keeps Phillies Alive

2009-11-03T20:21:25Z

If this were the circus, the Ut-Lee Show might replace Ringling Brothers as the Greatest Show On Earth. For the second time in this World Series against the Yankees, Cliff Lee and Chase Utley have joined forces to win a crucial game for the Phillies. Game 5 was a must win as a loss would have sent them home empty handed. The Phillies pulled off an 8-6 win and this series will head back to New York for Game 6.

Chase Utley set the tone in the first inning. Jimmy Rollins led off with a single and then Shane Victorino took a wicked hit to his hand with a pitch that got away from AJ Burnett. Utley made the Yankees pay by smacking a 3-run homer off Burnett on the first pitch he saw. Utley homered again in the 7th inning and ended with 4 RBI, 2 hits, a walk and 3 runs scored. And those 2 homers gave Utley 5 total for this World Series, a total previously matched only by Reggie Jackson in 1977 and Utley did it in one less game. Move over, Mr. October!

As for the non-Utley offense, Raul Ibanez woke from his slumber and hit a solo shot in the 7th. Ibanez had another RBI on a single earlier in the game too. But Ryan Howard is still slumping; he walked twice and did not have a hit in the game. Then there is Cliff Lee, who has the highest average on the team for this series; he had another hit last night and is batting .333.

On the mound, Lee became the first Phillies pitcher since Steve Carlton in 1980 to win two games in the same World Series with his performance last night. Lee allowed only 2 runs over 7 innings, although he got into trouble in the 8th and 3 more runs scored. But Lee probably should not have been sent out for the 8th at all if the Phillies were considering using Lee on short rest for a possible Game 7. And in the post-game conference, Charlie Manuel and Lee indicated that the Game 7 scenario was a possibility.

The move to leave Lee in is telling; first, it shows confidence in Lee. But more importantly, it also shows that Manuel is still unsure about his bullpen, which is not surprising. Brad Lidge blew a tie in Game 4, which the Phillies then lost. Ryan Madson has been shaky and allowed 3 hits and 1 run before saving the game last night in a nail biter of an inning.

The rest of the starters have been inconsistent as well. No one is sure what to expect from Pedro Martinez tomorrow; Joe Blanton has not had a good post-season; and Cole Hamels will likely not pitch again after several disasters and his diarrhea-of-the-mouth episode in which he wished for the season to be over. Lee cannot pitch every game so Martinez will need to come up big if the Phillies are to have a shot at repeating.

The good news is, the Phillies have momentum with the win last night. The bad news is, the Yankees are not going to give in and will have their home town crowd to support them. Andy Pettitte will be on 3 days rest, but Pettitte is better on 3 days rest than many pitchers on full rest. And so the battle begins at 7:57pm on Wednesday night.

Here is the full Photo Album from Game 5; the last game of the year at Citizens Bank Park. Go Phillies!

Photos by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

The Nightmare Is Upon Us

2009-11-02T12:27:20Z

Last year, the Phillies won the World Series behind the strength of Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge. This year, they are likely going to lose the World Series because of the failure of those same two players. What was a dream World Series match-up for many has now turned into a nightmare for the Phillies.

The Yankees are up 3 games to 1 in the series and there is no tomorrow for the Phillies. Winning 3 games in a row is not impossible; the Phils did that many times this year. But against this Yankees team, it appears to be an insurmountable climb. But it is not over until it is over and Cliff Lee will pitch tonight.

As for last night's 7-4 loss, Joe Blanton had a Blah-anton-like performance, giving up 4 runs in 6 innings on 5 hits and 2 walks. Overall, he did not have a good post-season at all and ended with a 6.00 ERA, assuming he does not pitch again. Much like Cole Hamels the day before, Blanton looked good for about 3 innings after a horrible 2-run 1st inning. If he had held it to those 1st two runs, that would have been great. But, no such luck.

The offense scratched and clawed at CC Sabathia to get back into the game and did manage to score 3 runs off him, including Chase Utley's 3rd solo homer off CC this post-season. But two hottest hitters this week, went hitless: Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz. And Raul Ibanez continues to be worthless at the plate; he is batting .188. Pedro Feliz had suffered as well, but came up with a 3 hit night, including the game tying home run in the 8th inning.

But the heroics by Feliz, which at the time felt like a real positive, were quickly squashed by another Brad Lidge disaster. Lidge came into the 9th with a 4-4 tie and got the first two outs in the blink of an eye. But that 3rd out still eludes Lidge, as it has all year long. He gave up a hit to Johnny Damon who then blew the game wide open.

The Phillies put the shift on for Mark Teixiera, so Feliz was covering 2nd base. Now, we all know that every base runner steals on Lidge, right? Well, we all know that except maybe Lidge, who appeared confused by what has become routine for him. The problem here is that no one was covering 3rd base and Damon kept right on going. After the game, Lidge was asked who should have covered 3rd and he said, "I don't know." News flash: it was you, Brad! Ugh.

Then with the runner on 3rd, he proceeded to hit Teixiera with a pitch. This is where I believe it really went to hell; Teixiera had ONE hit all series long. This was not the guy to screw up with. If he was going to get out of the inning, Teixiera was the guy to go after. BIG mistake. After that, the rest is history; an A-Rod single scored Damon and Jorge Posada knocked in two more. And Lidge walks off with an ERA of 27.00. Yikes!

I am going to the game tonight and hopefully, I will not have to witness the Phillies going down in flames. But it does not look good right now, except for the fact that Cliff Lee will pitch. Lee has been the only bright light thus far in the World Series for the Phillies pitchers, but he cannot do this alone. I wish him (and me) luck tonight!

Photo by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

A Frightening Performance

2009-11-01T17:42:03Z

Last year on Halloween Day, the Phillies were celebrating by parading down Broad Street. This year on Halloween Day, they took a spanking from the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the World Series with an 8-5 loss after a 1 hour and 20 minute rain delay. Cole Hamels did not follow my instructions and wear his "Hamels: Version 2008" costume for the occasion. Instead, Hamels 2009 took the mound and gave up 5 runs in 4 1/3 innings on 5 hits and 2 walks. A scary Halloween, indeed, complete with cloudy skies, rain and a 1-2 game deficit in the series.

This has been the story for Cole all year long; he simply cannot be counted on. He pitched well for 3 innings and then lost composure on a walk to Mark Teixeira that he felt should have been a strikeout in the 4th. A-Rod batted next and launched a controversial home run; the ball hit a FOX TV camera which was sticking out over the field. Instant Replay showed the hit and by rule, the interference made it a home run. This brings up another point: why is a TV camera sticking out over the field? They cannot back up a few inches? That simply should not be allowed. Way to go FOX.

It all fell apart after that. Once again, even though Cole showed signs of impending disaster, manager Charlie Manuel sent him out for the 5th and again, left him in way too long. He even allowed an RBI single to the pitcher, Andy Pettitte, who almost never picks up a bat. 3 runs later and this game was going downhill fast. The bullpen could not hold the Yanks to those 5 either. The next 3 relievers allowed one run a piece in each of the next 3 innings.

Add to that the horrible offensive display and Phillies fans are having flashbacks to slumps from earlier in the season. The Yankees who had not been hitting in this series, like A-Rod and Nick Swisher, found Hamels to be the cure. And the Phillies who were performing all post-season long, like NLCS MVP Ryan Howard, have seemingly lost their bats and cannot find them anywhere.

Jayson Werth looked to be the only Phillie interested in hitting; he knocked two solo home runs in the game. Carlos Ruiz also hit a solo homer and walked twice. The other 2 runs came off a walk to Jimmy Rollins with the bases loaded and a Shane Victorino sac fly. And that was basically the sum total of the offense.

Another item that irks me here: Eric Bruntlett was put in as a pinch hitter with a man on base in a situation where a home run was really what they needed. Why not Matt Stairs? Bruntlett should never be used as a pinch hitter unless they are looking to bunt. He had a terrible season and looks like he could not hit the side of a barn. Not to mention, he almost never hits homers.

As for Hamels, he is lined up to pitch Game 7, if it goes that far. In my opinion, this should not even be a consideration. Hamels has proven all year that he cannot get the job done, especially under pressure. He should be done. Come up with a mystery injury, replace him on the roster with another bullpen arm or bench player and send in Cliff Lee on short rest with JA Happ as his back-up. If I was in charge, that is what would happen. But since I am not in charge, hang on Phillies fans, it is going to be a bumpy ride if this goes 7 games.

The Phillies can try to tie up the series tonight with a win, but it will be Joe Blanton against CC Sabathia. Blanton has not done very well this post-season and is sporting a 4.66 ERA. Sabathia is the better pitcher, but does have awful memories of last post-season to overcome, including his lost battles with Brett Myers at the plate, a Grand Slam by Victorino and the banter of the home crowd. Plus he is on 3 days rest, same as that game last year where the Phillies beat up on him when he was with the Brewers.

My tummy hurts just thinking about this. Plus, I have an awful hangover from last night's game, and I did not drink anything but water. Yet somehow, the nausea and headache still persist. Hmmmmm....wonder why? ;o)

Here is the full Photo Album from Game 3. I took a lot of photos of both teams, something I normally do not do. I also got some great pre-games shots which include Hall of Famers and old-timers, Reggie Jackson, Mike Schmidt, Greg Luzinski and Garry Maddox. Some are a tad blurry as it rained most of the game and I had water on my lens :O( But I still did pretty well. At least this will be more enjoyable than the game was :O)

Photos by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

Halloween Makes A Scary Game 3

2009-10-31T17:56:47Z

As I mentioned yesterday, we all hope that Cole Hamels comes in costume to World Series Game 3 against the Yankees dressed as "Hamels: Version 2008." He is facing one of the best pitchers in post-season history, Andy Pettitte. Hamels has his work cut out for him. If he cannot channel the 2008 Hamels, it is going to be a long and scary night.

In the spirit of Halloween fun, I have made some costumes for a few of the other players. We already know that Cliff Lee is a Magician but J-Roll Smurf wanted to see his idol, Jimmy Rollins, dressed properly as well:

And with JC Romero out due to injury, Scott Eyre has assumed the role of "Cleaner" in the bullpen. Jayson Werth, on the other hand, represents the speed, grace and extreme tallness of the Giraffe:

Everyone knows Shane Victorino is the Flyin' Hawaiian and JA Happ is a Rookie who has garnered all kinds of awards already this season, including the Sporting News Rookie of the Year and the Players Choice National League Outstanding Rookie for 2009. So young and yet, so talented:

Nice legs too. ;O)

And my personal favorite, Ryan Howard as The Incredible Hulk!

Happy Halloween everyone!

I am getting ready to head out to the stadium...I did finally get a ticket at the last minute, although it looks like rain is in the forecast. Hopefully it will hold off enough to get the game in and for me to get a few photos. Wish me luck!

Go Phillies!!!

Photoshopping by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

Series Tied Up

2009-10-30T11:24:27Z

The World Series is now tied at 1 game each as the Yankees came up with a 3-1 win over the Phillies last night. Starting pitchers Pedro Martinez and AJ Burnett both pitched well, but Burnett did a bit better. Burnett was trying to do his best Cliff Lee impersonation and except for 2 hits and a run in the 2nd inning, he did just that.

Martinez allowed 3 runs over 6 innings, but the 3rd run probably should not have happened. Martinez looked like he was done after 6 innings, but Charlie Manuel sent him out for the 7th where he allowed 2 hits with no outs and then had be to taken out. With a bullpen full of fresh arms that had not pitched in 8 days, plus the fact that Martinez has been sick for several days, he never should have started that inning. A one run lead may have been possible to overcome against the Yanks closer, Mariano Rivera, but two runs were insurmountable. Chan Ho Park allowed that 3rd run to score when he came in to relieve Martinez.

Several Phillies have been taken ill these last few weeks. Greg Dobbs was sent back to Philly early as he has the flu; Scott Eyre and Shane Victorino have both been battling illnesses as well. Eyre was in the hospital Thursday night with the flu. So with Martinez catching the bug as well, why push him?

The Phillies did get to Rivera, who was sent in for a two inning save. They managed 2 hits and a walk, proving that Mo is not untouchable. But the decision to not send the runners with two on and two strikes on Utley, who usually makes contact, cost them. The Yankees turned a double play to end the inning, although the replay showed Utley was safe at first.

Prior to that, Matt Stairs had the only RBI for the Phillies after a Raul Ibanez double. The Phillies never figured out Burnett and Ryan Howard even struck out 4 times. 3 of the top 4 hitters did not get a hit and as a team, the Phillies had 6 hits total.

So the good news is, we do not have to see Burnett again for a while and hopefully, not at all. The other good news is the Phillies are headed home where they have played extremely well this post-season. Cole Hamels will pitch on Saturday, which is Halloween. I think Cole should dress up for Halloween as "Hamels: Version 2008." Hopefully, he can scare the Yanks right out of that game.

Go Phillies!

Photos by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

Phils Take Game 1 With Lee's Complete Game

2009-10-29T11:38:22Z

The Phillies got off to a great start with a 6-1 win in game 1 of the World Series against the Yankees. Cliff Lee was a magician on the mound, going the distance and not allowing any earned runs. The 1 Yankees run came on a Jimmy Rollins error. Lee dominated; he struck out 10 batters and looked like a giddy kid tossing a little league game, running in and out of the dugout and fielding balls with youthful nonchalance. A few waves of the Lee magic wand, and the Yanks were sunk.

A few waves of Chase Utley's bat worked a little magic as well. Utley hit 2 home runs off CC Sabathia, putting the Phillies up 2-0 in the 6th inning, with the first homer coming in the 1st inning. The pitching duel continued until Raul Ibanez knock 2 runs in with a single in the 8th to pad the lead. The Phillies added 2 more runs in the 9th on singles by Shane Victorino and Ryan Howard. Victorino was thrown out at the plate right after Rollins scored, but the score was 6-0 at that point so the aggressive move to send Victorino made sense.

The Phillies have now taken the Home Field advantage away from the Yankees and silenced doubters who thought the Yanks would walk all over this team. Clearly, the Yankees have some trouble in their bullpen which will be an advantage for the Phillies who did a great job working Sabathia's pitch count up to get to their pen.

In addition, I personally cannot wait to see what the New York media decides to post after this loss. Before the series began, the NY media took shots at the Phillies and their players that resembled high school bullying. This cover of Shane Victorino is just one example of how New York is taking this team way too lightly. Shane thought it was funny but ultimately, it is irresponsible journalism, if you can even call it journalism. But that is fine; the Phillies showed them what this team is made of. They should be afraid....very afraid.

Game 2 is tonight with Pedro Martinez on the mound! Another media spectacle, for sure, but it will be a very entertaining game. Go Phillies!!! And for the Cliff Lee fans....Go PhilLEEs!!!!!

Lee photo by Jenn

*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*

World Series Game 1 Break Down

2009-10-27T18:35:18Z

The Phillies - Yankees World Series is just a day away. Wednesday night at 7:57pm in New York, the fun begins! Let us examine the position by position match-up based on 2009 post-season results:

Starting Pitchers: Cliff Lee vs. CC Sabathia

The match-up of two former Cy Young winners who played together in Cleveland is a dream pitching duel. Statistically, this is a close one to call. Lee led all team in ERA with a 0.74 this post-season and Sabathia pitched at a 1.19 ERA. Lee has been lights out in the post-season, but did have a few struggles in September. However, this appears to be a non-issue for him in big games. Sabathia, on the other hand, has been just as good, but the Phillies have an advantage; they beat up on Sabathia last post-season and therefore have at least a mental edge in the situation. It is a new year and a new team for Sabathia though, so how much this will factor in remains to be seen. I am calling this one a draw.

Closers: Brad Lidge vs. Mariano Rivera

This one goes easily to Rivera, who is possibly the best closer ever in baseball. Lidge appears to be past his struggles, but there is still a shadow of doubt hanging over him.

Catchers: Carlos Ruiz vs. Jorge Posada

As far as ability to call a game, these two are evenly matched. At the plate, Ruiz has been hot, hot, hot this October. Add his youth to the equation and he has the advantage. Ruiz batted .346 this post-season with 7 RBI vs. Posada's .258 average and 3 RBI. Winner: Ruiz

First Base: Ryan Howard vs. Mark Teixeira

While Tex has the advantage defensively, in terms of sheer wrecking power, Howard wins it hands down. Howard batted .355 with 14 RBI compared to Tex's .205 and 5 RBI. While the low numbers are not typical of Tex, Howard is clearly in the zone.

Second Base: Chase Utley vs. Robinson Cano

Utley had a few brain farts in the NLCS on defense and his bat seemed to be up and down, but with the week off, Utley should be back to top form. Cano batted .229 and had a few more RBI and extra base hits than Utley; but Utley still batted .303 despite the struggles and continues to find ways to get on base. Utley is one of the best overall hitter in all of baseball; this one goes to him.

Short Stop: Jimmy Rollins vs. Derek Jeter

Last year and even in Spring Training this year, Rollins had a clear advantage over Jeter. He got more playing time and performed better in the World Baseball Classic and had a better 2008 season overall. But J-Roll has been in and out of a funk all year long in 2009. Jeter has been solid and continually finds ways to makes plays. Both are stellar on defense, but Jeter's bat has been a lot hotter than Rollins lately. Winner: Jeter

Third Base: Pedro Feliz vs. Alex Rodriguez

Ok, duh. Just hand this one over to A-Rod and be done with it. 12 RBI vs. 2 and .438 average vs. .161 - no brainer. Feliz is looking sluggish; and while he has a slight edge defensively, this is no competition. A-rod all the way.

Right Field: Jayson Werth vs. Nick Swisher

Another no-brainer, but this one favors the Phillies. Werth can be streaky, but his .281 average, 5 home runs and 10 RBI blows away Swishers .125 and 1 RBI. Winner: Werth

Center Field: Shane Victorino vs. Melky Cabrera

The Flyin' Hawaiian vs. The Melk Man: Shane wins on the cooler nickname alone. Ok, seriously, this one is a little closer than some. The batting averages are both good; .361 for Victorino and .314 for Cabrera. But Victorino's 26 total bases and 7 RBI beats Cabrera who had 13 bases and 4 RBI in the post-season. Victorino's speed is also a huge plus; Shane takes this competition.

Left Field: Ben Francisco vs. Johnny Damon

Francisco is a bench player who will take left field in game 1 while Raul Ibanez serves as the DH. His lack of experience in the field this year and few at-bats may be a detriment, although he does have more speed in the outfield than Ibanez. Damon is a solid veteran who should do well under the pressure of the familiar World Series lights; he got his ring in 2004 with the Red Sox. The winner here is Damon, based on experience and a solid 2009 season.

Designated Hitter: Raul Ibanez vs. Hideki Matsui

Both hitters have had a similar down post-season; Ibanez is batting .226 and Matsui is at .233. Each has 1 homer and 7 hits. Ibanez has driven in 4 more runs than Matsui, but has also been playing hurt. Sports Illistrated reported last week that Ibanez has been playing since June with a torn abdominal muscle, which does explain his second half slump. But Ibanez, a 14-year veteran, is excited for his first World Series and will not let the injury slow him down. For his determination alone, I am giving a slight edge in this battle to Ibanez.

The tally then is Phillies, 6 and Yankees 4, not counting the starting pitchers, which appears to be a tie. So it looks good for the Phillies on paper, but the game is played on the field. We shall see how it goes!

Comment Corner

I asked all my readers to let me know what their dream World Series would be and here is what we know:

Peter of Outside the Phillies Looking In prefers a Phillies - Cleveland series for geographical reasons. He lives near the home of the Tribe.

Buz of Yesterday's Hitter agrees that the Phillies - Yankees are the dream match-up because of all the talent on both sides!

And a few other interesting comments:

Jeff of Red State Blue State is rooting for the Phillies for the first time ever! Congrats Jeff...you have finally come to your senses ;o)

Jane of Confessions of a She-Fan already has a tummy ache just thinking about the Lee-Sabathia match-up; don't we all!

Go Phillies!