Results tagged ‘ Cubs ’
Phillies Add More Pitching & Hamels Gets an Unpleasant Surprise
The Phillies have added three right handed pitchers; Juan Cruz, Aaron Cook and Rodrigo Lopez. They have each been asked to attend Spring Training as non-roster invitees on minor league contracts.
You may remember Lopez (photo to the right); he started 5 games for the Phillies in 2009. He spent the last 2 years with the Cubs and in the minors. Lopez, 37, has a career 4.82 ERA in the majors and compiled a 5.28 ERA in the minors last year over 18 games.
Cook and Cruz are both 34 years old. Cook posted a 5.65 ERA in 18 starts with the Red Sox last year and will get $1.625 million if he makes the roster. Cruz was with the Pirates in 2012 and went 1-1 with a 2.78 ERA in 43 games.
The combined age of all three pitchers is 105. Clearly, these signings were not meant to help the team get any younger. These are just more spare parts in case Cole Hamels breaks a finger nail or Roy Halladay’s arm falls off.
Hamels is already having a rough off-season. In October, the star pitcher apparently had a sore shoulder, which the Phillies have since downplayed as being nothing serious.
And more recently, Hamels found out that the Philadelphia school system flat out lied to him in regards to donations he and his wife made to 3 Philly schools that are now slated for closure. They were assured these schools would remain open. The Hamels Foundation is now trying to save those schools so that the playgrounds and library they helped build do not get torn down and turned into apartment complexes or the like.
At least Spring Training is almost here…26 days to go!
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Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
5 in a Row!
Winning 5 games in a row seemed an impossible task for the Phillies until now. Their longest win streak of the season previous to this one was only 2 games. They have also gone above the .500 mark for the first time since the first game of the year.
Even having Roy Halladay on the mound has been no guarantee of a win this year as the offense has underperformed. Against the Cubs on Thursday night, Halladay finally got some run support and had a good game himself as well.
Over 8 innings, Halladay allowed 3 runs, 2 of which were solo homers. But he was even hotter at the plate, going 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored. Only 3 other Phillies had multi-hit nights,
One of those guys was Halladay’s battery mate, Carlos Ruiz. To say Ruiz is on fire right now is an understatement. He is scorching every pitch that comes his way. In this game, Ruiz went 4 for 5 with 3 RBI and he is now hitting .363. He even stole a base. Wow.
Juan Pierre continues to nip at Ruiz’s heels with a .343 average and 2 more hits in last night’s game. Pierre also made several outstanding grabs in left field.
But while the offense was cooking and it looked like this game might be a laugher, the all too familiar bullpen monster reared its ugly head again. With an 8-3 lead in the 9th, we saw the other side of rookie Jake Diekman. Two games ago, he was spectacular in his major league debut. But last night, he was the exact opposite…awful.
Diekman walked 2 batters, hit a third batter and then gave up a bases-clearing double. The score narrowed to 8-6 with 2 outs and Jonathan Papelbon had to be brought in to close the game. He allowed an RBI single to the first batter he faced, making the total line for Diekman 4 runs in 2/3 of an inning. Yikes!
Papelbon did finally get the job done, but the final score was a frighteningly close 8-7. And the “other” side of Diekman was not something we would ever like to see again.
So the Phillies are heading home for a 3-game interleague series with the Red Sox. Game 1 starts at 7:05pm tonight.
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Photos by Jenn Zambri Photography
From the Minors to The Moon: Extras Help Phillies to a Win
In a 9-2 win over the Cubs Wednesday night, 6 of those 9 runs were produced by pinch hitters. Many of the “extra” pieces the Phillies picked up over the last few weeks contributed to the win.
Even the starting pitcher sort of came “off the bench.” With no warning, Kyle Kendrick was thrust into the starting role when Vance Worley unexpectedly went on the DL with elbow soreness. Kendrick has had a rough year being pushed and pulled from the bullpen to the rotation and back again. But on this night, he managed to pull a great performance seemingly out of the air.
Kendrick allowed only 1 earned run through 6 innings and did walk anyone. He also had an unearned run on a routine fly ball that Juan Pierre dropped in left field. Luckily, that was the only major blunder for the Phillies that night.
It did not look like Kendrick would get much run support as the Phillies took turns leaving men all over the base paths, especially on third base with less than 2 outs. Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence were the worst offenders with 7 and 5 men left on base, respectively. Victorino did manage 1 RBI though while Pence, again, went hitless.
Freddy Galvis and Carlos Ruiz picked up their teammates, both with 2 hits in the game. Ruiz is making a strong bid for an All-Star spot with his team leading .343 average and many clutch hits.
With a 2-2 tie going into the 7th, the Phillies bench came into play in a big way. In his first Phillies at-bat, Mike Fontenot singled and later in the game, scored a run. Ty Wigginton came off the bench in the 9th and gave the Phillies some breathing room with a 2-run single.
But the big blast came from the Moon Man, Hector Luna, in his first Phillies at-bat. “Luna” means “moon” in several languages, including Latin, Italian and Spanish. And Luna went straight to the moon with his first career grand slam in the 9th, giving the Phillies a huge 7 run lead.
Yet another new Phillie entered into the 9th as well. Raul Valdes pitched the bottom of the inning and nailed down the 9-2 win without any drama. The night before, Jake Diekman made his major league debut and got 4 outs to end the game, also minus the usual bullpen drama. These two guys are at opposite ends of the spectrum: one is a rookie and the other an experienced veteran. But together, they may signal very good news for this weak Phillies pen.
And this win is also very good news as the Phillies finally reach the .500 mark at 19-19 for the first time in weeks. They have not been over .500 since Opening Day. Perhaps they can accomplish that task tonight in Game 2 with the Cubs? Game time is 8:05pm.
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Photoshopping by Jenn Zambri Photography
Phillies Hit The Road on a Positive Note
In the finale of a 4-game series with the Cubs, the Phillies got off to a hot start with 4 runs in the first inning. Having already lost 2 games in this series, it was imperative for this team to get going quickly. But after those 4 runs, the offense went to sleep again.
Vance Worley pitched 7 strong innings while the offense napped. He allowed only 1 run on 5 hits and 2 walks. The Phillies took the 4-1 lead into the 8th inning as the bullpen took over.
Sadly, no lead seems very safe with this team. Such was the case as Antonio Bastardo and Chad Qualls combined to blow the 3-run lead. Bastardo walked his second batter and Qualls gave up a single to score that run and then added a 2-run homer shortly after.
With the game then tied, the Phillies needed that sleeping offense to wake up. But the way things have been going lately, it seemed unlikely. It was going to take a small miracle…or at least a clutch hit.
When you find yourself cheering because the first batter of the inning, Juan Pierre, got hit by a pitch, you know things have not been going well. And when you begin to hope that maybe the pitcher will hit the next 3 batters so you can score a run, things have gone from bad to worse.
But instead of getting hit, the Phillies actually got a few hits. With 2 outs and Pierre on first, Jimmy Rollins singled to move Pierre to third. And then the real hero stepped to the plate and proved he has still got the bat to go with his glove. Placido Polanco smashed a double to left that scored both Pierre and Rollins. It was the first time this year that the Phillies were able to take a lead in their final at-bat.
The Phillies went on to a 6-4 victory, thanks to Polly’s timely hit. Even better, it does appear that Polanco is healthy again after 2 hernia issues the previous year.
Going back on the road against the Braves and Nationals, who are leading the division, it was important to start on a positive note. With any luck, the Phillies may be able to start digging themselves out of this hole and April’s losing record.
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Photoshopping by Jenn Zambri Photography
The Phillies Team-Wide Recession
The nicest thing I can say about today’s Phillies – Cubs game is that the weather was beautiful. Unfortunately, that is where the joy ends.
Even the Phillie Phanatic’s birthday celebration was toned down from previous years. There were fewer mascots, no Zooperstars except a generic monkey and the cake was less than half the size it usually is. See for yourself…it appears the recession has finally reached the Phanatic birthday bash:
In fact, maybe the entire organization is suffering from a recession. They accidentally give away runs to other teams for free and cannot score any of their own. That is a recipe for going broke fast.
Today’s match-up featured Kyle Kendrick vs. Matt Garza. Guess who won?
Garza sucked what little life was left in the Phillies offense and spat them out like garbage. The only action the Phillies bats saw was a parade of foul balls:
Jimmy Rollins got a hit to start the game and that was it for the whole team until the 9th inning when Hunter Pence added a bookend hit. The only run they scored was also in the 9th and came from a bases-loaded walk.
The defense was just as awful. Here is Laynce Nix impersonating a really bad first baseman:
I say impersonating because he is an outfielder who played a total of 9 games at first base in a 9-year career before joining the Phillies.
And Pence added to the mayhem by overrunning another ball in right field which led to a run for the Cubs. That is 3 straight games that Pence has made the same mistake. I am confused by this…how about you?
And here is a play at the play where, according to my photo, it appears Brian Schneider tags the runner about a foot before the plate. I did not see the TV replay, so maybe the photo is deceptive, but who knows:
Either way, it was just one more crappy moment in another crappy Phillies game. This was officially one of the worst Phillies games I have ever seen in person. The 5-1 loss also guarantees the Phils a losing record in April after dropping 2 out of 3 games so far to the second WORST team in the entire national league. Depressed yet?
No worries…there is always tomorrow (please note my sarcasm here). Feel free to add your own sarcastic comments as well. At least we can all vent together ;O)
Here is the full Photo Album from today’s game. I assure you, my photos are more entertaining than this team is right now. You’re welcome.
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Photos by Jenn Zambri Photography
Chooch Gets The Phillies Train Chugging Again
Carlos Ruiz has very quietly been one of the best catchers in baseball over the past several years. Calling games for guys like Roy Halladay, catching no hitter’s and backing his team with key hits, Chooch never seems to get the credit he deserves.
But Phillies fans know that Chooch is the man. Last night Ruiz helped pitcher Joe Blanton get through 7 1/3 innings, allowing just two runs and striking out 8 batters. Blanton looked really sharp and Ruiz was his usual, awesome self.
Leading the team with 3 RBI in the 5-2 victory over the Cubs, Ruiz also showed his toughness. After getting nailed in the knee with a foul ball in the 6th inning and writhing in pain, only minutes later, Ruiz smashed a home run to left to add an insurance run for the Phillies. There is nothing this guy would not do for his team.
The 2 hits by Ruiz were key in the game, as the Phillies had only 4 other hits for a total of 6 in the game. 3 of the remaining 4 hits were doubles, including a 2-run shot by Jimmy Rollins. After an awful start to the season, we can only hope that hit gets J-Roll rolling again.
Manager Charlie Manuel shuffled the line-up last night with Rollins in the lead-off spot. But aside from the 1 hit, the change of scenery did not help much and Juan Pierre is doing very well in that spot. Pierre will likely return to the top of the line-up today. But do expect several more line-up shake-ups as Manuel tinkers to find something that works for this offense.
Also of note last night was Jim Thome leaving the game early with back soreness. Batting only .111 in 18 at-bats so far, this is going to raise more questions about whether or not Thome can still be a productive player this late in his career. Currently, Thome is listed as day-to-day.
Game 3 with the Cubs starts this afternoon at 1:35pm. See you at the game!
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Ruiz Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
Back to Bad
It looks like the run explosion from the Phillies offense in Arizona was really just a desert mirage after all. Because against the Cubs tonight, they went right back to their losing ways.
The game started out promising with runners on first and third with no outs. But that short, 5 minute elation was squashed quickly by two straight pop-ups from Jimmy Rollins and Hunter Pence plus a ground out from Shane Victorino. Those three hitters, the core of the Phillies current line-up, combined to go 0-for-12 on the night.
And that first inning set the tone. The only run the Phillies scored was a solo homer from Ty Wigginton. If you had told me at the start of the season that Wigginton would be the Phillies best hitter, I would have said that this team was in really big trouble. Wigginton was acquired to be a bench guy. But because he is the only one hitting, he is now a starter, batting .327 with a 12-game hitting streak.
And that is where the good news ends.
Roy Halladay had a little trouble tonight, but he still only allowed 3 runs over 7 innings. It was certainly enough for a win.
By the ninth inning, down 3-1, the Phillies defense added to the disaster as well. Pence over ran a ball, allowing a Cubs run to score. Then Rollins followed suit, missing a ground ball and another run scored. Knowing this offense was already dead in the water, those plays sealed the deal and the Phils lost by a 5-1 score.
This is such a disheartening loss that I cannot imagine what to say at this point. So, I will go with….Go Flyers! Yeah, it is that bad. I have resorted to hockey. *Sigh*
Game 2 with the Cubs: 7:05pm Saturday.
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Happy Bunny by Jim Benton
Phillies Offense Finally on a Roll…
In the last two games, the Phillies have scored a total of 15 runs. Since the start of the season, it did not look like that sort of run production was ever going to happen. But Wednesday’s 7-2 win over the Diamondbacks may actually signal the awakening of this offense.
Cole Hamels certainly helped the situation with another great start, putting the Phillies in position to win. Through 8 strong innings, Hamels allowed only 2 runs on 4 hits and struck out 7 batters. He also lit things up at the plate with a 2-run single in the 6th inning.
This game was a real team effort, with everyone in the line-up contributing, even if it was just a sacrifice to move runners. The biggest stand-out though was Placido Polanco who looked like the player of old. He was on base after every at bat with 3 hits, 2 walks and an RBI.
Carlos Ruiz also had a 3-hit game and Hunter Pence collected 2 hits. Now if the Phillies can just get Jimmy Rollins going, this might actually be a descent line-up again.
Thursday is an off-day with a 4-game home series beginning with the Cubs on Friday. You know what the cure for a suffering offense is? That’s right…the Cubs. Cross your fingers…
Injury Updates:
As you may have heard, relief pitcher Mike Stutes is on the DL. He has not looked the like the vibrant pitcher he was since about the final month of last season. While this is concerning, his replacement, Michael Schwimer looked very sharp in Wednesday’s win.
As for Ryan Howard, he is still taking it easy. But his wound is finally healing which means he may be able to start real baseball activity within the next week.
And my favorite topic of discussion, Chase Utley: Reportedly, Utley is feeling no knee pain while batting and some pain while fielding. He took batting practice in Arizona with the team and many were encouraged by his swing. However, here is a word of caution about all the optimism…
As a person with chronic knee issues, worse that what Utley has, I can tell you this; I also feel no pain while swinging a bat…ok, in my knees at least ;o) The joint rotation does not bother me. However, running and anything involving impact, like chasing ground balls, is a whole other story.
I have not been able to play serious baseball since I was 16 years old after blowing out both my knees. But it was not because I could not still hit; it was because I could not run. All these years later, I can still hit, but I still cannot run and never will. Are you following my thought process here?
Granted, I have worse issues that Utley. But my point is, yes, he looks good hitting. But the real test will be impact movements, like running. The fact that Utley still has some pain while fielding is not a good sign. Running is generally more strenuous than fielding due to the repetition of the impact on the knees. So if it is hard to field, running will only make that worse.
I am a huge Chase Utley fan and I would love nothing more than to see him get better and back to his old self. However, all of this makes me very nervous. If he comes back too early, he can do more damage to his knees. But we all want him to come back sooner than later and I am sure he does as well.
So be optimistic; but be cautiously optimistic.
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Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
Home Field Clinched Despite Another Loss
Even though they lost 4-3 to the Cardinals on Monday night, the Phillies still managed to clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs thanks to the Braves losing to the Cubs. This team is so good, it seems they can literally do nothing and succeed.
However, this series with the Cardinals also showed that the Phillies have some work to do on offense. They clinched the NL East title against the Cards, but lost the other three games. On Monday night, Roy Halladay did not have his best stuff and the Phillies bats did nothing to help him out.
Halladay wound up spotting the Cards two runs in the first inning as his pitch location was off. He gave up two more runs for four total over eight innings. Halladay also walked four batters, which is unusual for the potential Cy-Young candidate.
While it was not Roy’s day, it was not a good day for the bats either. The Phillies only run through eight innings was basically handed to them after a Cardinals error. They left the bases loaded with less than two outs…again. In total, 10 men were left on base.
The Phillies attempted a rally in the 9th inning, which was nice to see, but they still fell short. A double from Carlos Ruiz followed by a triple from Jimmy Rollins led to two more runs. The triple was the 100th of Rollins’ career.
But the rally ended after Hunter Pence grounded out with Chase Utley on first. The fact that the team did not give up until the final out was refreshing, but there are still some lingering questions about this offense being unable to score with runners on base.
Ryan Howard is out of the line-up, probably for most of the week after getting a cortisone shot in his ankle. Shutting him down now instead of in the playoffs is wise. Hopefully, he come back rested and feeling better after dealing with bursitis in his foot and ankle all year.
Howard’s return should be a boost for the offense, but the Phillies really have nothing left to play for. The division is wrapped up, home field is wrapped up and they have 10 games to go. However, it would be nice to see them win 100 games and even better if they can break the franchise record of 101 wins in a season, set in 1976 & 1977.
The Phillies could reach 100 games today with wins over the Nationals in the doubleheader. Game 1 begins at 1:05pm.
Worley Wows While Bats Come To Life in Win Over Cubs
The Phillies offensive was very slow to develop on Tuesday. But on Wednesday, they got off to a quick start with two runs in the first inning.
In the second inning, the Phillies really made Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster work hard in the 110 degree heat on the field. But with two outs, no one on base and pitcher Vance Worley coming to the plate, it looked like Dempster was going to get out of the inning. And then Worley smashed a double in the gap between center and right field.
That double precipitated a big inning for the Phillies. Jimmy Rollins followed with another double to score Worley. Then Michael Martinez singled in Rollins and Chase Utley doubled in Martinez. It was a 3-run chain reaction.
But the fun did not end there. While Worley mowed down Cubs and did not allow a hit until the 5th inning, the offense kept adding on. Rollins had a huge day with three hits and two homers, one from each side of the plate. That has only happened four times in Phillies history and two of the four times, it was Rollins.
Rollins was so pumped after the first homer, he high-fived a bunch of Phillies fans on his way back to the dugout. After the second homer, other fans caught on and the high-fives came again, only to a bigger crowd. After the game, Gary “Sarge” Matthews even interviewed a fan about the high-fives. Needless to say, he was pretty psyched about travelling all the way to Chicago to get high-fives from Rollins.
Martinez also continued his hot streak with two hits, an RBI and two stolen bases. Utley had two hits, both doubles, and two RBI. The only starter without a hit was Shane Victorino who is still looking for his first hit since returning from the DL yesterday.
With the offensive support, Worley was able to pitch without pressure and as a result, he went eight innings, the longest outing of his short career. Worley allowed only one run on four hits and two walks. Fans are also getting excited about Worley these days as evidenced by the new tee-shirt being sold by Zoo With Roy. I assume it is a take-off on the shirt to the right, but why is his name spelled wrong? Just curious…
The 9-1 win capped off a series victory against the Cubs. Thursday is an off-day while the Phillies prepare for a big 10-game home stand with the Padres, Giants and Pirates.
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Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
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