Results tagged ‘ Cardinals ’
Another No Decision for Lee in Phillies Win
These are the kind of games that make me wonder why so much emphasis is put on pitcher wins and losses. It is a flawed statistic. Phillies starter Cliff Lee has a 2.82 ERA in 7 starts and NO wins through no fault of his own. At least 5 of those he should definitely have won, but the offense did not help out.
Why is the win/loss stat still heavily relied upon when determining who should be an All-Star, an MVP or a Cy Young winner? Lee is a prime example of why this should not be an influential factor in those decisions or in figuring who the top pitchers in baseball are.
You can then see why Lee is obviously frustrated as evidenced by an altercation in the dugout last night with Shane Victorino. After two missed fly balls in the 4th inning, one by Victorino and one by Hunter Pence, the Cardinals took the lead in the game, leading to another no decision for Lee.
The two balls were lost in the twilight and probably not really anyone’s fault. But the chain of events did emphasize a larger issue; this Phillies offense is wildly inconsistent and the starting pitchers are rightly annoyed. In fact, assuming Lee spoke for everyone last night, I am glad they are annoyed. It shows that they actually give a crap. And maybe this little outburst will light a fire under the rest of the team.
Lee is frustrated more than most as he has received the least amount of run support. And for a guy that has a reputation of being laid back and never getting rattled, seeing him tee-off on Victorino last night speaks volumes. Clearly, he does care…a lot.
Victorino later made some great defensive plays to keep the Phillies within reach. A solid relay throw to Freddy Galvis turned into an out at the plate in the 8th inning as Yadier Molina tried to bowl over Carlos Ruiz. In his usual tough guy style, Ruiz held onto the ball despite the blow.
And Lee helped his own cause with 2 hits and huge run scored in the 7th where he went from first to home and looked good doing it. After the play, Lee probably could have used some oxygen, but he was just fine.
That run tied the game, which went to extra innings. And then Pence, who made the 2nd blunder in the outfield earlier, came out the hero with a 2-run homer in the 10th. Jonathan Papelbon closed out the 5-3 win for the Phillies 3rd straight victory.
Game 3 with the Cardinals starts tonight at 7:15pm; Kyle Kendrick will start.
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Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
A Wild One in St. Louis
This 4-game series in St. Louis looks like it is going to be a real adventure, especially after last night’s wild 10-9 Phillies victory over the Cardinals. There was a lot of action in this one.
The Phillies got off to a hot start, scoring 6 runs in the first two innings, something they have been unable to do most of the year so far. But the 6-0 lead was on shaky ground fast as pitcher Joe Blanton self-destructed for his second start in a row.
Blanton allowed hit after hit until the game was tied, 7-7 by the 5th inning. Once again, manager Charlie Manuel left Blanton in too long and waited until he allowed the final 3 of those 7 runs that inning to pull him. In his last 2 starts, Blanton has allowed 19 hits and 13 runs. Ouch. I guess it was too much to hope his hot streak would last very long :O(
The game ping-ponged back and forth after that, with the Phillies offense continuing to battle back. Carlos Ruiz is still on fire and had 3 hits in the game. Four players, including Ruiz, had 3-hit nights. Both Shane Victorino and Freddy Galvis added 3 RBI each and even Mike Fontenot collected a pinch-hit RBI in a key situation.
And although the bullpen had some issues again, it was just that kind of night. Both teams were hitting and the end result was going to depend on who pushed harder. Ty Wigginton added the 10th run in the 8th inning with a solo homer, which turned out to be the game winner for the Phillies.
Game 2 starts tonight at 8:15pm. Cliff Lee will pitch.
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Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
Grieving the Phillies 2011 Season – Stage 4: Depression
Has anyone been watching the World Series? I have not been able to. Not because my TV blew up or squirrels chewed through my cable lines, but because it is just too depressing. The 2011 World Series without the Phillies? *SIGH* :O(
The only thing I think about right now is that there are approximately 124 days, 2,996 hours, 179,761 minutes and 10,785,690 seconds left until players report to Spring Training. That means I have ahead of me approximately 124 days, 2,996 hours, 179,761 minutes and 10,785,690 seconds of sheer boredom and misery.
I know, I should really get a grip. Perhaps join a 12-step program? But I simply cannot fathom what those 12-steps might be that would be able to lift me out of this funk.
To make matters worse, there are many impending decisions on the horizon that will greatly impact the future of this Phillies team. There are seven free agents the Phils have to make decisions on: Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Madson, Roy Oswalt, Brad Lidge, Raul Ibanez, Brian Schneider and Ross Gload.
My thoughts are that the options on Lidge and Oswalt’s contracts will not be picked up nor will either player be resigned. Neither lived up to expectations this year and injuries were a huge problem.
Madson’s agent is Scott Boras. That being said, the Phillies will not be able to afford to resign him. Plus, rumor has it that Madson’s wife hates Philadelphia. He is gone.
As for the other four, Gload and Ibanez likely will not be back. This team needs to get younger and healthier. The Phils will probably resign Schneider at a discount as his offensive numbers are exactly that – offensive. And Rollins will hopefully return after some intense negotiations.
And all of that is also depressing. This team we have all come to know and love will be broken apart with holes likely to be filled with some new faces. Change is necessary here, especially after the final results of this season with the team ousted way earlier than expected. But that does not make it less sad :O(
I am currently in the process of peeling myself out of this dark, hopeless abyss where I am blubbering uncontrollably while cowering in a corner. This disappointing season has been difficult to cope with, but we must all make a commitment to try.
Although, if trying includes watching the Rangers and Cardinals, I may pass for now. It is just too demoralizing right now :O(
Stay tuned for Stage 5…
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Player photos by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
Grieving the Phillies 2011 Season – Stage 3: Bargaining
Stage 3 of my mourning the 2011 Phillies season has reached the bargaining stage. The only problem is that the season is already gone, leaving nothing but “why’s,” “what if’s” and “if only’s.”
For instance,
- What if…the Phillies had just let the Braves win the last two games of the season, thereby eliminating the Cardinals from the Wild Card?
- What if…Cliff Lee did not blow a 4 run lead in NLDS game 2?
- If only…I had a magic wand to make it all better.
- What if…the Phillies offense actually showed up?
- If only…I had a time machine (*sigh*).
- If only…this team had stayed healthy.
- What if…Charlie Manuel had a clue about when to pull his starters?
- If only…wishing made it so :O(
Are there any deals left to be made? Can I bargain with the devil to rewind this horrendous end to the season? Ok, maybe not the devil. But how about the angry, rabid and totally evil Busch Stadium Squirrel? Clearly, this rodent has super powers that helped propel the Cards to the World Series.
The World Freakin’ Series? The Cardinals? A team that had literally no shot at a playoff run just weeks before the postseason? If they win it all, they should dedicate the trophy to the Phillies, who beat the Braves, putting them in playoffs. And the Phils then laid down and let the Cards walk all over them in the NLDS.
Not that the Cards did not earn it…they certainly did. But the Phillies barely put up a fight, which still makes me want to travel back in time, violently shake each Phils player and scream until they WAKE UP!
Someone please wake me up…I must still be dreaming. And oh, what a nightmare this has been.
Stay tuned for Stage 4…
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*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
Opportunity Lost As Cards Tie Series
So far in this NLDS, two of the Phillies heralded four aces have been hugely disappointing. In Game 2, Cliff Lee gave up 5 runs in 6 innings. Tonight in Game 4, Roy Oswalt did exactly the same.
Those two starts, and even yesterday’s Game 3 win, only served to amplify another Phillies major issue: the offense. The bats have been mostly quiet in every game except the first one. The Phillies snuck by with 3 runs for a win in Game 3 thanks only to a Ben Francisco homer.
It looked like the Phils might put a hurting on the Cardinals early tonight, scoring two quick runs in the 1st. But instead of piling on, Ryan Howard struck out and on the same pitch, Hunter Pence got nailed going to second, although on replay, he was safe. No matter, because that one strike out / throw out killed the rally and the offense died after that.
The slow, painful death of the Phils offense this postseason could signal the premature end of their playoff run. Even with Roy Halladay to pitch in the final Game 5 of the NLDS on Friday, if the Phils do not score, what Halladay does will not matter.
The only light moment in tonight’s disgusting loss was the reappearance of the Busch Stadium squirrel. The BS Squirrel enjoyed a run around the field in Game 3. In Game 4, he interrupted an Oswalt pitch by running straight across home plate.
The umpire had no sympathy for Oswalt. Shocking, I know.
The Phillies will head back home, in a 2-2 series tie. Friday night is a case of win or go home…start praying that the Phillies find their bats before then.
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*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
Big Ben Unlikely Hero In Game 3 Win
With the NLDS series tied 1-1 between the Phillies and the Cardinals, Game 3 was going to be big for the winner. The Phillies had not been able to hit Cards starter Jaime Garcia in previous meetings, so for the Phillies, this was not an easy task.
Equally intimidating, Cole Hamels pitched for the Phillies. Over 6 innings, he did not allow a single run. But multiple base runners and deep counts ran Hamels out of the game earlier than the Phillies would have liked.
There was no score by the time Hamels was out of the game, but an unlikely hero emerged in the top of the 7th inning to keep Hamels in-line for the win. Shane Victorino singled to start the inning and later, Carlos Ruiz was intentionally walked to bring up Big Ben Francisco.
Outfielder Francisco was a relative non-factor most of the year after the emergence of John Mayberry Jr. and the acquisition of Hunter Pence. He hit only 6 homers the entire regular season and saw limited at-bats.
But on the one night the Phillies really needed a hero, Big Ben stepped up with a 3-run blast in the 7th. Even better, the bomb came off a pitch from Garcia who suddenly lost some of his command in that inning. Finally, the Phillies hit Garcia and took a 3-0 lead.
The Phillies bullpen made the final 3 inning a real adventure though. Vance Worley gave up a run in the 7th. Then he and Brad Lidge combined to load the bases in the 8th. But Ryan Madson, brought into the game earlier than usual, coaxed a double play ball to end the threat. Madson did give up a run later in the 9th, but still earned the save.
This was a huge win for the Phillies who now need only one more win to erase the Cards and advance to the NLCS. Roy Oswalt will pitch tomorrow night; game time is 6:00pm.
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Photoshopping by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
Phillies Clip Cardinals’ Wings in Game 1
Game 1 of the Phillies – Cardinals NLDS looked like a party before the game began:
Then after scoring 3 runs off Phillies ace Roy Halladay in the first inning, the Cardinals were given false hopes of possibly winning the game. After all, Halladay does not usually implode in this fashion, so those 3 runs looked like a killer blow.
The fans were very quiet after that, especially when the Phillies offense got themselves out, making Kyle Lohse toss only 6 pitches in each of the first two innings. The mood was so depressing, it felt like a funeral.
But in the bottom of the 4th, the Phillies offense showed signs of life, with a little help from a Cards error. Chase Utley doubled, Ryan Howard walked and then Shane Victorino hit what should have been an easy pop-up. But David Freese dropped the ball, giving Victorino a second chance. He took advantage with an RBI-single for the Phillies first run of the game.
By the 6th inning, the Phillies had finally figured out Lohse. After Jimmy Rollins and Hunter Pence singles, Howard delivered a huge blow with a 3-run bomb, giving the Phils a 4-3 lead. Raul Ibanez added on with a 2-run shot later in the inning.
As the Phillies added on, Halladay found his groove. He did not allow a single hit to the Cards after the 2nd inning. Halladay went eight innings, allowing only the 3 runs in the 1st. This guy is amazing.
With an 11-3 lead, the Phillies decided to save Halladay’s arm for another day and gave the 9th inning to Michael Stutes. It seemed like a good situation to baptize the rookie into his 1st postseason appearance. However, it did not work out too well for Stutes.
Stutes wound up getting charged with 3 runs in 1/3 of an inning and closer Ryan Madson had to be brought in to clean up the mess. So the final score was 11-6. Worse for Stutes, this huge blunder has pretty much rendered him useless for the rest of the series.
So on to Game 2 Sunday night at 8:37pm. The good mood of the Phillies players Phillies and coaches yesterday is sure to carry over:
Here is the full Photo Album from Game 1…enjoy!
Go Phillies!
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Photos by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
Roster in Place, the Phillies Are Ready for the NLDS
Game 1 of the NLDS is scheduled for a 5:07 start tonight. Here is the post-season roster for the Phillies:
- Catchers (2): Carlos Ruiz and Brian Schneider.
- Infielders (6): Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Placido Polanco, Jimmy Rollins, Wilson Valdez and Michael Martinez.
- Outfielders (6): Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino, Hunter Pence, John Mayberry Jr., Ben Francisco and Ross Gload.
- Pitchers (11): Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt, Ryan Madson, Brad Lidge, Antonio Bastardo, Mike Stutes, Vance Worley, Kyle Kendrick and Joe Blanton.
- Extras: Infielder Pete Orr and Catcher Erik Kratz will travel with the team. RHP Justin De Fratus, LHP Joe Savery and outfielder Domonic Brown will work out in Clearwater, FL and Outfielders John Bowker and Brandon Moss and RHP Michael Schwimer have been sent home.
The only slightly interesting move here is that Blanton was chosen for the roster instead of David Herndon, despite missing most of the season with injuries. The Phillies chose experience over a younger guy, even though Herndon was with the team most of the year.
As for the pitching match-ups in the series, here are the probable starters for the Phillies and Cardinals:
- Game 1: Roy Halladay vs. Kyle Lohse (ex-Phillie)
- Game 2: Cliff Lee vs. Chris Carpenter (on 3 days rest)
- Game 3: Cole Hamels vs. Jaime Garcia
These are some odd moves by Tony LaRussa. It will either turn out to be genius, or a huge mistake. The Phillies should be able to handle Lohse and will then get Carpenter on short rest. That is another situation they can probably take advantage of.
The pitcher the Phils have the most trouble with is Garcia, who was pushed back to Game 3 because his home numbers are much better than his road numbers.
This all seems to add up to a Phillies advantage, however, that remains to be seen. Also of note, Game 2 has been pushed back to 8:37pm (ugh) on Sunday due to the Yankees – Tigers rain postponement.
I also wanted to share with you an article I just read about how Danys Baez has helped Antonio Bastardo out of his recent pitching funk. Baez was released by the Phillies in July and was not picked up by another team. He has been sitting at home in Miami watching and noticed Bastardo, a player he previously mentored, was having problems. He reached out to Bastardo and helped him find the issues in his mechanics.
Bastardo has bounced back since then and it seems that Baez is the reason. The story made me a little sad, thinking about how much criticism Baez took while he was in Philly from fans and media. For him to swallow his pride and reach out to an ex-teammate like that is a sign of true character. He may not have been the bullpen solution the Phillies hoped for, but he gets huge brownie points in my book for just being a great guy.
Hope to see you all at the game tonight! Go Phillies!
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Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
Phillies Make History With 102 Wins
The Phillies ended the 2011 regular season with 102 wins after a 13 inning 4-3 victory over the Braves. The 3-game sweep knocked the Braves out of the playoffs and also set a new record for the Phillies. The franchise mark of 101 wins in a season has been surpassed, making this 2011 team statistically the best in Phillies history.
It also made Charlie Manuel the best manager in Phillies history. His 646th win with the team surpassed the previous record of 656 held by Gene Mauch.
And as usual, the Phillies fought for their manager until the very end. The game lasted 4 1/2 hours and 13 innings with 17 total pitchers used between the two teams. The pitching was very good all around for both and hits were hard to come by; 11 for the Phils and 10 for the Braves.
In the 13th, Hunter Pence finally broke up the stalemate, knocking in the winning run with an RBI-single. He had two hits in the game, as did Chase Utley, Placido Polanco and Ryan Howard.
By beating the Braves, the Phillies basically chose their own opponent. The win handed the Wild Card spot to the Cardinals. The Phillies struggled against the Cards in the regular season, winning only 3 games out of 9. But coming off the momentum of this 3-game sweep and making Phillies history, the team should be ready to face the Cards again.
In the American League, the Red Sox are out, having lost what was previously and 8.5 game lead in the Wild Card race. As they crashed and burned against the lowly Orioles again, the Tampa Bay Rays climbed out of a 7-0 hole to beat the Yankees and take the Wild Card spot.
So here is how the NLDS and ALDS line-up:
- Phillies vs. Cardinals
- Brewers vs. Diamondbacks
- Yankees vs. Tigers
- Rangers vs. Rays
The first game for the Phillies is this Saturday; no time has been announced yet.
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Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
100 Wins
For only the 3rd time in franchise history, the Phillies have reached 100 wins for the season. They beat the Braves by a score of 4-2 on Monday night and Cliff Lee earned the win.
The Phillies strung together 10 hits against a Braves team desperate to make the playoffs. They are still one game ahead of the Cardinals in the Wild Card race. But the Phillies could spoil all the fun. While the Phils have already won the division, there is still the franchise record of 101 wins out there to tie or beat.
So the Phillies are not going to, nor should they, go easy on the Braves. Raul Ibanez stepped up last night with 2 big RBI’s and several regulars had multi-hit games. And four players out of the bullpen also stepped up and held onto the lead. Game 2 is Tuesday night at 7:10pm.
Before the game, the Phillies went about their annual rookie hazing, dressing the young guys up in ridiculous outfits:
The back row is Trainer Ichiro Kitano, Erik Kratz, Joe Savery, Vance Worley, Michael Schwimer and Domonic Brown. The front row is Justin DeFratus, Michael Martinez and Michael Stutes.
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