Results tagged ‘ Darren Daulton ’
Phillies Snooze & Lose In Opener Against Nats
Seriously, this was a really boring game. The Phillies mustered only six hits against the Nationals and two of those came in the final inning. Livan Hernandez watched the Phillies batters whiff at his 68mph curve balls so he kept right on throwing them.
In the words of Pedro Serrano, ” I cannot hit curveball. Straightball I hit it very much. Curveball, bats are afraid. I ask Jobu to come, take fear from bats.” Well, Jobu did not show up and neither did the Phillies bats.
To make matters worse, Cole Hamels had a very bad day. At one point, it was questionable that he could even thrown a strike with no outs and the bases loaded. Hamels clawed his way through five innings after walking four batters and allowing three runs on six hits. Afterwards, it was revealed that Hamels has a sore shoulder. It does not appear to be serious so far.
But once again, a trend continued for the Phillies. Hunter Pence did not get a hit and the Phillies did not win. It will be fun to see how long this continues to be the case. In 13 games, the Phillies have won 11 where Pence had a hit and lost the two where he did not get a hit.
The 4-2 loss is clearly not the end of the world, but it was still disappointing. The real highlight of the day though was the induction of John Kruk into the Phillies Wall of Fame. The pre-game ceremony included a variety of Phillies alumni including Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Dick Allen and Darren Daulton, among others.
Kruk’s speech was touching and infused with humor that only Phillies fans could appreciate. He spoke about the 1993 season and noted, “We killed a lot of brain cells. But you were right there with us and you all killed a bunch too.”
But the best part was when Kruk addressed everyone who knocks Philly for being a hard place to play. He said, “To those people I say, ‘You didn’t have the guts to succeed here.” And that is exactly why we love John Kruk. Congrats to John…it is a well deserved honor!
Here is the full Photo Album from Friday night. And here is a fantastic breakdown of Michael Stutes’ rookie gear:
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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*
Phillies Season Over Too Soon
The Phillies lost Game 6 of the NLCS to the Giants last night, prematurely ending their season. The Giants will go on to face the Texas Rangers in the World Series while the Phils sit at home and watch. Having made it to the World Series two straight years, this loss was tough to take.
The game ended, perhaps fittingly, on a Ryan Howard strike out with 2 men on base. Howard struck out 12 times in 22 at-bats and had zero RBI the entire series. This performance was a microcosm of entire Phillies playoff run where the big producers did very little. Chase Utley hit .182 with only 1 RBI; Shane Victorino batted .208 with only 2 RBI; Carlos Ruiz hit .167 with only 1 RBI…you get the picture.
In last night’s game, the Phils had plenty of chances to turn things around and force a Game 7; they simply did not do it. Roy Oswalt pitched a great game while Jonathan Sanchez did not.
The Phillies took advantage of Sanchez early in the 1st inning; after a walk and a wild pitch, Utley doubled, Howard singled and Jayson Werth hit a sac fly. Two runs scored and it looked like the Phils were in control.
It started out similar in the bottom of the 3rd inning too; Sanchez walked Placido Polanco and then hit Utley in the upper back. As Utley ran to first, the ball bounced to him; he caught it and underhanded it to Sanchez who then started spewing cuss words at Utley. If you read his lips, Utley said, “What? What’s bulls*it?” And then the benches cleared…
Here are some photos I took and I have marked where a few interesting things are going on in the group. You can see Carlos Ruiz getting pretty angry; Utley running in while Polanco tries to restrain a Giants player; Pat Burrell right in the middle of the argument having words with his old friends; JC Romero trying to hold back Sanchez:
Utley and Sanchez have a history; Sanchez threw at his head on 7/30/09, to which Utley said nothing. Later, Utley called time out during his at-bat and Sanchez got mad about when he called it. Utley then took him deep for a homer to right. Apparently, Sanchez has issues with Utley.
Anyway, after the near-brawl on the field, Sanchez was pulled; the Phillies had two free base runners with NO outs and still failed to score. That may have been the moment that changed the entire season for the Phillies. Because in the top of the inning, everything had gone wrong for the Phils defensively. Getting a run after that may have made the difference.
The 3rd started with a hit by the pitcher Sanchez which Utley should have fielded and did not. A single and a sac bunt were followed by this missed fly ball to Victorino:
On the very same play, Victorino threw home and Ruiz made the tag to save a run:
The Phils could have escaped with just the one run scored but Polanco got a ground ball and was charged with a throwing error as Howard did not make the catch at first. Frankly, it looked like a ball he should have caught. Another run scored on the error to tie the game 2-2.
It was a virtual stalemate after that for a while. The Phillies had chances to score, like in the 5th when Howard doubled but the 3rd base coach held Jimmy Rollins at third. With two outs and little offense working, he should have been sent home.
In the 6th, Raul Ibanez doubled and Ruiz moved him to third with a bunt. But pinch hitter Ben Francisco went down on strikes instead of hitting a much needed sac fly. No scoring…again. In all, the Phillies left 11 men on base and went 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position. It was a lackluster effort, just like most of this series was for the Phillies.
Werth did make a heroic catch in foul territory, which was one of the few highlights:
But in the 8th, forced to pitch his 2nd inning of the night, Ryan Madson gave up a solo homer to Juan Uribe which broke the tie. The Phillies could not manage a rally, down by only one run and with many base runners. They lost 3-2 and sent the Giants to the World Series.
I would like to congratulate the Giants and their fans for the victory. They are a great team who fought hard and earned it. The Phillies did not play like the team we all know and that is the most disappointing part. But to have made it this far is still an accomplishment as 26 other teams did not.
In the coming days, I will be analyzing the aftermath and looking ahead to what next season might bring. For today, I will quietly mourn the end of the 2010 Phillies season and try to look on the bright side later.
Here is the full Photo Album from the game. It includes game shots, pre-game, Darren Daulton tossing the 1st pitch, Kane Kalas singing God Bless America and more…
Photos by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*
Hanging With Darren Daulton At 97.5 The Fanatic
This past Tuesday, I was invited to tour the new radio station of 97.5 The Fanatic and hang out with former Phillies catcher, Darren Daulton, during his “Talking Baseball With Dutch” radio show. The Fanatic provides both local and national sports talk programming on an FM station. The result is a crisp, clear broadcast without the old AM radio static.
The new studios provide up-to-date technology and programming, plus quality shows with experienced and entertaining hosts, like Darren Daulton. Take a look at some of the equipment and the studio set-up:
Back when I was a disc jockey, many moons ago (1988-1990, 1995-1997), we did not have any of these fun toys. It was CD players, reel to reel and cart machines. You know, like in the Dinosaur age. When we got out very first 4-track digital recorder, everyone was afraid to use it in case it broke or they programmed it wrong. These days, it is all computerized. Must be nice ;o)
Anyway, if you do not live nearby, simply tune in on the internet from anywhere in the world. The Fanatic also has Facebook and Twitter sites as well as an iPhone app.
While I had net Darren Daulton before, I never actually got to hang out with him before. On Tuesday, I sat and chatted with him before his show, during commercial breaks and afterwards, when we took some photos and he signed autographs for me. He told me, “Call me Dutchy.”
If you have ever met a sports figure or any famous person before, you never really know what to expect. With Dutch, it was like hanging out with an old friend. He is personable, very down to earth and really funny. If you had met him at a party and did not know who it was, you would just think, “This is a really cool guy.” There are no airs about him and he has a great sense of humor. Dutch is a super nice guy and I feel fortunate to have been able to spend time with him.
Here is Dutch in the studio:
And here are some photos of Dutch hanging out:
Dutch’s “posse” was there with him and they kept me company while the show was airing. You can tell who a person is by the company he keeps and his friends were really great. These three guys were very amiable and I had fun chatting with them as well.
I would like to thank Darren Daulton, the “Posse” and everyone at 97.5 The Fanatic for a terrific experience. It is something I will remember for a long time.
Photos by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network
Phillies Sweep Marlins & Increase Division Lead
With a 3-game sweep of the Marlins completed tonight, the Phillies have increased their NL East lead to 3 games over the Braves. Roy Halladay picked up his 19th win of the year while allowing 3 runs over 6 innings. Halladay does appear to be tiring as we near the end of the regular season, but is still pitching effectively. If the Phils can add to their 3-game lead over the Braves, perhaps Halladay can get some much needed rest before the potential playoff run.
Another big event tonight besides #19 for Halladay involved Shane Victorino. He completed a quadruple double for the season; with a triple tonight, he now has double digits in steals (32), doubles (24), triples (10) and home runs (17). Victorino had 2 hits total tonight plus and RBI.
Other big contributors to the 10-5 win were Raul Ibanez and Wilson Valdez who each had 3 hits and 2 RBI. Ryan Howard reached base 3 times by drawing walks and Chase Utley hit a long homer to right field. After scoring only 2 runs last night, a 10-run explosion was fun to watch.
The Phillies have the day off tomorrow before starting a 9-game home stand; 3 games each with the Nationals, Braves and Mets. The Braves series will be pivotal in determining the 2010 Phillies fate. The Phils have shuffled their pitching rotation to have the big 3 go against the Braves; Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt. But the next game with be with the Nats on Friday at 7:05pm; Oswalt will pitch.
Since there is an off-day tomorrow, I have a special off-day blog planned. Yesterday, I spent time with former Phillies catcher, Darren Daulton, at the 97.5 FM The Fanatic studios during his radio show. I will tell you all about that and have photos to post from my tour of the station as well. Check back for that!
Also feel free to check out my new Facebook community page, “I Want A Hug From Mike Sweeney.” You can join the group and add your own thoughts and photos. Remember, real men hug. ;o)
Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*
Full Team Effort Produces Series Win
Throughout most of the year, Roy Halladay has not gotten a great deal of run support from his teammates. Today, he had a rough time against the Mets, allowing 2 runs in the first inning alone to put the Phillies in a quick hole. Halladay seemed off but he did pitch 7 innings; on 9 hits and a walk, he allowed 5 runs while striking out 10 batters.
But the offense did not let Halladay down this time. After a Jimmy Rollins 1-out double in the 3rd, the Mets short stop Jose Reyes committed a fielding error that allowed Placido Polanco to reach base. From there, a rally was born. Remember yesterday when mascot J-Roll Smurf put the voodoo hex on Reyes? Coincidence? Well, who cares…it worked, whatever it was.
The Reyes error sent the Phillies on a huge tear; Ross Gload singled, which scored Rollins. And then the super-hot Raul Ibanez extended his hitting streak to a career high 16 games with a 3-run homer. Later, a Brian Schneider single scored Jayson Werth for the 5th run of the inning. Werth had also homered the inning before. Here are a few shots of the home runs and subsequent celebrations:
The effort was all around for the Phillies. Not only did the offense score 6 runs for Halladay, they played solid defense as well. Halladay kept running into trouble, but some good pitches, a double play and a few diving grabs helped him out. Gload especially gave a great effort at first base filling in for the injured Ryan Howard. Here are a few more action shots from the game:
Another huge positive to come out of this 6-5 win was the back-end of the bullpen. Ryan Madson played “Bridge to Lidge” in his former excellent fashion, shutting the Mets down in the 8th. And then Brad Lidge, with his usual tense moments, did finally get the save with only a 1-run lead. Both pitchers have been up and down so it was nice to see the pen work the way it is actually supposed to in a tight game.
There was positive news before the game as well. Both Chase Utley and Shane Victorino were out running around and playing Frisbee on the field. This is meant to be a conditioning exercise, and Utley was quite serious about getting the job done.
Victorino, on the other hand, while still getting the job done, looked more like a kid playing in his back yard than a professional ballplayer. He even raced someone’s kid at one point. Nothing wrong with a little fun ;o) Victorino was running very well and it looks like he may be activated soon. He will start a rehab assignment on Tuesday and may be back by next weekend.
Also before the game, the Alumni Batting Challenge took place with 3 teams; Kevin Stocker with Ricky Bottalico, Jim Eisenreich with Mitch Williams and Darren Daulton with Dickie Noles. Stocker and Bottalico took home the prize. You can see many photos from the even in the full game Photo Album.
The Phillies have a day off tomorrow before the Dodgers come to town. Kyle Kendrick will start Tuesday’s game which is scheduled for 7:05pm.
Photos by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*
Great Pitching; Tough Loss
The match-up of Cole Hamels and Johan Santana tonight had potential to be a very tight pitcher’s duel. And that is exactly what happened; the two pitchers were fairly even through 6 innings. Santana did not allow a hit until Placido Polanco broke through in the 6th with a single. Hamels scattered 6 hits but also struck out 11 batters. The only scar on the line for Hamels was a solo homer from Jeff Francoeur in the 7th.
Hamels reached 99 pitches by the end of 7 and was pinch hit for in the bottom of the inning. Chad Durbin pitched the 8th and had a very scary outing. With the bases loaded, he nearly walked a run home. Luckily for the Phils, Francoeur was done with the home run hitting. He went fishing for a high fastball that would have been ball four and struck out.
With the score still 1-0 in favor of the Mets going into the bottom of the 8th. The Phils had an exciting inning with a few singles and a walk. But with the bases loaded and 2 outs, Ross Gload grounded out after a very good battle at the plate.
In the 9th inning, the Phillies still could not get anything done. They ended up with only 5 hits in the loss, went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left 9 men on base. While it was a disappointing loss, overall it was a good game because of the pitching. Hamels was outstanding so it hurts to see him not get the win…again. Poor guy.
The final game with the Mets is tomorrow afternoon at 1:35pm. Roy Halladay will pitch :O) The Alumni Batting Challenge will also take place before the game with 3 teams; Kevin Stocker with Ricky Bottalico, Jim Eisenreich with Mitch Williams and Darren Daulton with Dickie Noles.
I will return with photos from both the pre-game event and the Halladay domination of the Mets – yes, I fully expect Halladay domination. J-Roll Smurf, our official Phillies Phollowers mascot, says it will be so. He is in charge of the voodoo and I believe him. J-Roll Smurf has been practicing his voodoo bat attack all day long, so expect results. Go Phillies!
Reyes and Smurf photos by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*
Late Rally Gives Phillies The Win
In the first 7 innings of tonight’s game, fans were wondering, where have the Phillies bats gone? Several of them are on the DL, but how about the rest? Did the plane carrying the bats from Miami back to Philadelphia crash on a deserted island, leaving the bats stranded and hopeless? Can we please get a rescue team together to go find them? Please?
The Phillies had opportunities to score early in this game against the Mets. With the bases loaded and 2 outs in the first, Carlos Ruiz began to cool off from his recent hot streak; he struck out to end the inning. One run scored in the inning, but they should have had more. The Phils did get a number of 2 out hits, but they were mostly with no one on base.
But then it was Ruiz and most of his teammates in the 8th inning who finally found the bats again. 5 straight singles followed. Yes, the bats have been rescued! Everyone got in on the action; Mike Sweeney started the inning off with his first hit as a Phillie; Jayson Werth, Ben Francisco, Ruiz and Wilson Valdez followed suit. Ross Gload walked with the bases loaded to score another run and Jimmy Rollins singled in the 4th run of the inning.
Later that same inning, Sweeney got another hit; his second hit as a Phillie also added his first RBI as a Phillie. By the end of the 8th, the Phillies had sent 11 batters to the plate and scored 6 runs to put them up by a score of 7-2 over the stunned Mets.
So, maybe the bats just had jet lag and it took until the 8th inning to wake them up? Whatever the deal, it was very nice to see them again. Someone else who was happy to see the bats was starting pitcher Joe Blanton, who had a good outing. He lasted 7 innings, allowing just 2 runs on 7 hits without walking a batter. Sadly for Blanton, he was out of the game before the run barrage started.
So while Blanton could not get the win, the team certainly could. Danys Baez pitched the 9th and got the first two outs. JC Romero was brought in with 2 runners on base and, just for some added drama, he gave up a 3-run homer. With a now close 7-5 game, Romero was pulled and Brad Lidge came into what was then a save situation. He struck out the final batter to end the game; whew!
The Phils have two more games with the Mets this weekend; tomorrow’s game starts at 7:05pm with Cole Hamels pitching.
By the way, congratulations to former catcher Darren Daulton who was inducted to the Phillies Wall of Fame before today’s game. Daulton is widely thought to be one of the best catchers and best leaders in Phillies history. He is well deserving of the honor. In his acceptance speech, he referred to Phillies fans as his family and said we were all invited to his house for dinner on Sunday night. Hey Darren, you forget to give us your address. Please pass on the info…I’ll be there ;o)
Player photos by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*
Phillies: Who Is In, Who Is Out
Jimmy Rollins was officially activated off the DL today for the second time this year and will play tonight against the Indians. The Phillies are hoping that J-Roll will kick-start this team and give them a much needed boost of energy.
Both Juan Castro and Wilson Valdez, who filled for Rollins, were rewarded for their solid performances by being kept on the roster. Instead, the Phillies designated Greg Dobbs for assignment. Dobbs was only 1 for 25 pinch hitting this year and is batting just .152, so this is not a huge shock. If Dobbs clears waivers and no one claims him, he will probably be sent to AAA to try to find his swing again.
Catcher Carlos Ruiz was supposed to be out for only a few days after being hit in the head with a broken bat on Friday. But after a series of tests, the Phillies decided to put him on the DL, retroactive to June 19th. This freed up another roster spot which was given to LHP Mike Zagurski. In 2007, Zagurski pitched in 25 games for the Phillies and after that, he underwent Tommy John surgery. Working his way back to the majors, Zagurski has an ERA of 2.35 pitching for AAA this year in 30.2 innings of work.
Right-hander Scott Mathieson was optioned to AAA Lehigh Valley after just 2/3 of an inning for the Phillies where he allowed 2 runs on 3 hits.
In other news, former Phillies catcher Darren Daulton will be inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame on Friday, August 6 before that evening’s game. Daulton played 14 years for the Phils, went to 3 All-Star games and is the only catcher in Phillies history with two 100-RBI seasons. Congratulations to Darren; he is very deserving!
Photos by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*
Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame Golf Classic
This past Tuesday, the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame hosted their 4th annual Golf Classic at the Huntingdon Valley Country Club. The Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of Philly sports history which inducts new members annually.
The golf event was attended by many Philadelphia stars, including former Phillies, Flyers, 76ers and Eagles, along with broadcasters and other special guests. I was asked to be the photographer for the event, which was in honor of the memory of Harry Kalas. This is a tribute table with a few of Harry’s belongings and memorabilia:
The day included a putting contest, lunch, shotgun golf round, live and silent auctions, a million dollar hole-in one contest and the “High Hopes” reception and dinner. Much of the time was spent by chatting with VIP guests as well as enjoying the golf course. By the way, former Phillie Darren Daulton promised me the Phillies would be snapping out of their current funk very soon. I am holding him to that.
From top to bottom, left to right, here is Darren along with Greg Luzinski, Terry Harmon, Andy Ashby, Tyler Green, Mike Mamula (former Eagle), someone I do not know and Dickie Noles. If you know who the mystery guest is, feel free to let me know ;o)
Other sports were represented as well. This next photo collage includes former Eagles coach Dick Vermeil, former Eagles player Chuck Bednarik who was showing me his bent finger, former Eagles Eddie Khayat and Vince Papale and former Flyer, Bernie Parent, possibly the most entertaining man on the planet. If you have never met Bernie, you are missing out on a real treat. The man is a ball of energy and funnier than most professional comedians:
I have tons of other photos which show many other big stars from the day and all of the events that went on. Feel free to check that out. Thanks to the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame for inviting me! It was a memorable day.
Photos by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*
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