Philadelphia Phillies First Half Report Card: Pitchers

Today marks the second day off for the All—Star break, so let us continue our mid—season grades for the Phillies. Today we take a look at a pitching staff, who have been fighting their way through injuries and various struggles at this point. How have they fared individually?

Let’s take a look, beginning with the starting rotation.

Cole Hamels
5-5, 4.87 ERA, 85 K, 18 BB

Coming into the 2009 season I had very high expectations for Cole Hamels. To say he has come up short would be an understatement of mass proportions.

After showing a new level of dominance in the 2008 post season Hamels captured MVP honors in the NLCS and World Series, so thoughts of Hamels cruising his way to a 18, 19 or even 20 win season were not to be questioned.

Today we sit with an ace who has posted a 5-5 record with an ERA that is second worst in the starting rotation.

His strike out total sits at 85 and he has only walked 18 batters, which is not too bad, but he is on pace for a number of career highs if his play continues to be mediocre in the second half.

Hamels has already allowed 15 home runs, four shy of his career low of 19 (his career high is 28). He has also given up 117 hits, which already ties his career low for a season (2006).

If the Phillies are going to win their third straight division title they will need Hamels to work things out and have a much better second half. Hamels will need to pick up nine wins in the second half to help hold off the Florida Marlins and a possible late season surge from the New York Mets.

First half grade: C-

Joe Blanton
6-4, 4.44 ERA, 91 K, 33 BB

Joe Blanton got off to a worrisome start to the season but has come on strong lately. Blanton owns the best ERA among the opening day starting rotation and leads the team in strike outs. Due to the mediocre play around the rest of the pitching staff Blanton has become one of the most reliable pitchers to look to.

The Phillies are getting what they need out of Blanton. He is leading the team in innings pitched and has the only arm to throw over 100 innings. He will need to stay healthy and may be looked at as the second pitcher in the rotation in the second half, barring any significant trades that may be made.

First half grade: B+

Jamie Moyer
8-6, 5.99 ERA, 53 K, 25 BB

How is it that Jamie Moyer leads the Phillies in wins? With eight wins the “crafty lefty” leads the Phillies in victories at the All—Star break. But his 5.99 ERA is Adam Eaton-esque. With 116 hits allowed it is no wonder why Moyer’s innings total is at 94.2.

After signing a two-year deal with the Phillies there must be questions spinning around the front office wondering why?

It is no secret that Moyer’s age is of the upper variety, but despite that he finds ways to out—think most batters. Though he has been hit hard in a number of games the reality is that Moyer is no better than a back end of the rotation starter.

At this point the only reason Moyer is the fourth pitcher is because the Phillies can not find a solid fifth starter, a position that is a revolving door after the loss of Brett Myers to injury.

Moyer needs to bring the ERA down. If he ends the season with an ERA in the mid to low 4.00 area, then that should be a good sign for the Phillies at the end of the season.

First half grade: D-

J.A. Happ
6-0, 2.90 ERA, 61 K, 32 BB

On the entire pitching staff, nobody has been as dependable as J.A. Happ. Happ started the year in the bullpen, losing the coveted fifth starter’s job in spring training to Chan Ho Park.

Being sent to the bullpen must have kept Happ’s spirits and motivation high though, because once Park struggled as a starter the team called upon Happ to fill the role he worked hard to obtain.

Whether he has come out of the bullpen or started a game on the mound, Happ has put together a season worthy of NL Rookie of the Year nominations.

Combined with his bullpen work, Happ leads the starters in ERA and is third on the team in ERA. He has walked more batters than you would like to see (32) but he usually finds a way to wiggle out of trouble or at least minimize the damage.

Call me a homer, but a case could have been made about Happ being placed on the All—Star team, although he would have been one of the last guys in. Now Happ has pitched himself into a position where it would either be hard for the Phillies to trade him away or he could be an important piece of a blockbuster trade.

First half grade: A

Chan Ho Park
3-2, 5.49 ERA, 50 K, 26 BB

Grading Chan Ho Park‘s 2009 season can be tricky. While his time in the starting rotation was anything but enjoyable, his move to the bullpen has slowly become a success. For the purposes of this mid—season report though we must combine all of the efforts put out by Park.

As a starter, Park went a frustrating 1-1 with a 7.29 ERA in seven games. That includes a stellar game in a pitcher’s duel in which he out—pitched Johan Santana. He gave up five home runs, walked 17 batters and struck out 21 batters.

As a reliever, being replaced in the rotation by Happ, Park took a couple outings to find his groove but has gone 2-1 with a 3.16 ERA. He has allowed nine earned runs (ten overall) in just under 26 innings pitched, has walked just nine batters while striking out 29.

Park will remain in the bullpen in the second half of the season and he could be a key player in the pen for the Phillies.

First half grade: C (But rising)

Brett Myers
4-3, 4.66 ERA, 46 K, 20 BB

Unfortunately Brett Myers‘ season may be done already as he suffered an injury after just ten games. Though his absence has hurt the team it is through no fault of his own, so he will not be downgraded for his injury.

Myers was somewhat mediocre in his ten outings. Seventeen of his pitches found their way to the seats in fair territory, which was reminiscent of his poor play from a year ago that prompted a move to Lehigh Valley.

Myers recorded 46 strikeouts, which would have put him on pace to be among the team leaders if he stayed healthy.

First half grade: C

Clay Condrey
4-2, 3.71 ERA, 22 K, 14 BB

Clay Condrey has been a bit of an unsung hero out of the bullpen, he has played a vital role so far this season.

Now out with an injury of his own, Condrey was called upon more often than planned as injuries and bullpen changes continued throughout the first few months. Add in the fact that the starting pitchers struggled for so long and guys like Condrey were being used often.

Condrey has allowed 31 hits, including four home runs, and for awhile led the team in wins. If he comes back healthy in the second half of the season, Condrey will provide some long relief in blow—outs to save the more important role players.

First half grade: B+

Chad Durbin
5-5, 4.87 ERA, 85 K, 18 BB

Chad Durbin became one of the more reliable relief pitchers last season, but has not been as dependable this season. After the first half of the season is in the books, Durbin is shouldered with a 4.47 ERA with 36 hits allowed in 44.1 innings pitched. He has also walked 28 batters and given up six home runs.

Perhaps more concerning is his seven hit batters, tied for the most on the team with Jamie Moyer. Durbin will have to show more control on the mound when called upon for middle relief in the fifth or sixth innings in the second half.

First half grade: C-

J.C. Romero
5-5, 4.87 ERA, 85 K, 18 BB

J.C. Romero joined the team late in the first half of the season after serving a 50—game suspension for a disputed drug policy violation. As such he has only pitched 14.1 innings so far, so giving him an accurate grade is tough.

Romero has been decent enough for the team but has some things he needs to improve. In his 17 appearances, Romero has given up six runs (five earned), two home runs, and a concerning twelve walks and eleven strike outs.

First half grade: C

Scott Eyre
1-1, 2.16 ERA, 12 K, 10 BB

Scott Eyre has been one of the most reliable pitchers out of the bullpen this season. Only used in certain situations, this limits his appearances, but in 27 games (16.2 innings) Eyre has allowed just five runs to cross the plate, four of which were earned.

Eyre holds the team’s second lowest ERA and after serving some time on the disabled list looks to continue to provide a steady arm in relief in the second half of the season.

First half grade: B

Ryan Madson
3-4, 4 SV, 3.02 ERA, 44 K, 16 BB

After cementing himself as “The Bridge to Lidge” last season, Ryan Madson was supposed to be the solid eighth inning guy that could lock down a close game. It has not quite worked out that way for Madson this season.

Entering with high expectations, Madson has struggled in both a set—up and closer role. Despite some struggles in the last month, Madson still holds a low ERA even with fifteen earned runs allowed. Madson has given up runs in crucial situations, including blowing four saves.

Even with the problems Madson has experienced he is still holding batters to a lower batting average than he did a year ago. The problem is those fewer hits are counting for more bases and runs. Still though, for his role, he has not performed to the level needed to get the job done and he needs to pitch better in the next couple of months

First half grade: D+

BRAD LIDGE
0-4, 18 SV, 7.03 ERA, 37 K, 19 BB

Baseball fans everywhere knew that there was no way Brad Lidge would be perfect in 2009. And boy were they right. At the All—Star break Lidge is charged with a woeful 0-4 record and while he has saved 18 games, he has also blown six save opportunities.

Lidge was placed on the DL to work out some problems and since he came back he has, for the most part, been solid. In the first half Lidge did allow eight home runs, the latest coming on Friday night.

First half grade: D+

When you look at the entire pitching staff there is no doubt that there needs to be improvement in the starting rotation, the middle relief, and the back end of the bullpen to close out games.

There are reasons to be optimistic for a brighter outlook from the pitchers in the second half of the season, as the Phillies look as though they are going to take a chance with Pedro Martinez.

Of course the Phillies are also a trendy name in the Roy Halladay sweepstakes as well.

What are your thoughts on the pitchers through the first half of the season? Are any of these pitchers marked too high or too low? I know I left some names out.

Guys like Jack Taschner, Kyle Kendrick, Sergio Escalona, Antonio Bastardo and more were left out as they were either not here long enough to dissect (Rodrigo Lopez) or because they appear to not be a player in the second half of the season anyway (Jack Taschner). Feel free to give an assessment to any of those guys if you wish.

Waiting for Pedro: Phillies Fans on Pedro Martinez Watch

The All-Star Break is not offering much of a stoppage in Phillies updates. Right now, the biggest news is centered on Pedro Martinez:

“Pedro Martinez is expected to be in Philadelphia on Monday to meet with Phillies officials and take a physical, which could be the final step in completing a contract for the remainder of the season.”—Todd Zolecki via MLB.com.

That’s right, Phillies fans. It is really starting to look as if Martinez could be signing a deal for the remainder of the 2009 season.

This news comes after the Phillies watched Martinez throw three innings of a simulated game on Friday, and were intrigued by another throwing session two days before.

So the question continues: Should the Phillies sign Martinez?

Each day, I find myself more and more in favor of this move. There is nothing to lose in signing Martinez. No prospects are being lost and Martinez would likely fill one of the lower spots in the rotation.

Ask yourself this: Is he any worse than Jamie Moyer?

Probably not.

If the Phillies sign Martinez and it doesn’t work out, the organization will have no problem saying, “Thank you for your time, Pedro,” and replacing him with an arm out of the bullpen or farm system.

Should the Phillies sign Martinez, here is my proposed starting rotation:

1. Cole Hamels

2. Joe Blanton

3. JA Happ

4. Pedro Martinez

5. Jamie Moyer

What are your thoughts on the Phillies acquiring Martinez?

Philadelphia Phillies’ First Half Report Card: Infielders

Today marks the first day off for the All-Star break, so before we dig into the All-Star game coverage, let’s take a moment to give midseason report grades to the infielders. How have the infielders fared overall through the first half of the season? Grades are based upon both offense and defense.

 

Ryan Howard, First Base
.257 AVG, 85 H, 22 HR, 67 RBI

There should be no surprise in Ryan Howard‘s offensive numbers. The heavy hitting first baseman has notched 22 home runs up to the All-Star break and is on pace for over 120 runs batted in. Not surprisingly though is his strike out total, which is sitting at 103 strike outs heading into the break.

While fans are getting pretty much what they expect out of Howard, the surprise of the season has been his defense. In 81 games at first base, Howard has committed an eye-brow raising four errors. Last season Howard was charged with 19 errors.

Howard will be in St. Louis for the all star game as a manager’s selection and will participate in the home run derby Monday night.

First half grade: A-

 

Chase Utley, Second Base
.313 AVG, 96 H, 20 HR, 61 RBI

When it comes to Chase Utley Phillies fans have come to expect greatness day in and day out. Naturally, Utley has not disappointed. On pace for a career high in home runs Utley has been one of the most consistent players out of the infield.

Manager Charlie Manuel pushed for his players to hustle on every play and Utley is the best example of what the manager preaches. Take for instance his recent inside-the-park home run or his gamesmanship as he dekes out opposing players.

There is no secret about Utley anymore as he has widely become recognized as the best second baseman not just in the National League, but perhaps all of baseball, as evidenced by his over 5,000,000 fan votes for the All-Star game.

Utley is on pace to have his second highest batting average, falling short of his .332 AVG in his injury shortened, MVP-type, 2007 season. He also is on pace to have his best fielding percentage (.986) for a season at second base (.985 in 2007).

Utley has been voted to the All-Star game and will start at second base.

First half grade: A

 

Jimmy Rollins, Shortstop
.229 AVG, 80 H, 7 HR, 34 RBI

Jimmy Rollins may be the toughest infielder to grade. Because his offensive production got off to such a rough start, the first reaction to give Rollins a failing grade may be tempting to many fans. But if you look at where his numbers are right now compared to some other players, and consider all he has given defensively, the outlook may not be so bad.

Rollins had an unbelievable 2007 season, en route to MVP honors, and because his 2007 campaign was so stellar, his 2008 numbers felt underwhelming.

Before the 2009 season started I predicted that Rollins would rebound a little and put together a season that falls between his 2007 and 2008 numbers. Don’t look now but that prediction is looking to be in pretty good shape.

With 51 runs scored Rollins is just 25 runs shy of his 2008 total (76). His hit total appears to be pretty much on pace as last season’s 154 hits, as are his RBI (34 now, 59 in 2008), and walks (27 now, 58 in 2008). Rollins has struck out more this season though and his batting average has a long way to go, but for as bad as his offense has been this season, it may not be as discouraging as it may feel.

Defensively, though, Rollins makes up for his offensive woes. His .990 fielding percentage is the highest of his career. Rollins has committed just three errors, on pace for his fewest in a full season (seven in 2008).

First half grade: C+

 

Pedro Feliz, Third Base
.293 AVG, 89 H, 6 HR, 45 RBI

Does Pedro Feliz have the kind of numbers that a guy like New York Mets third baseman David Wright has? No, but he shouldn’t. While Wright may be the premiere third baseman in the division one should pay close to attention to where Feliz hits in this high powered lineup, typically seventh.

Batting seventh Feliz usually finds himself leading off innings or batting with few base runners as guys like Howard, Raul Ibanez, and even Jayson Werth have done their part to clear the base paths.

When he was signed by the Phillies, Feliz was thought to be a 20 home run player and defensively sound at third base. While this is not exactly the case, he has been solid in 2009.

Feliz is well on pace to surpass his 2008 stats in just about every category including hits, runs scored, RBI, and walks, and seems to be coming up just short of his 2007 home run total. 

However, with the other players in the Phillies lineup, that may not be a big issue.

Although Feliz is generally a terrific fielder at third base, he has committed six errors after being charged with eight errors all of last season.

First half grade: B

 

Carlos Ruiz, Catcher
.235 AVG, 39 H, 3 HR, 3 RBI

With Carlos Ruiz you know that you are not getting a Mike Piazza with a bat in his hands. Instead, you are getting a guy who usually comes up as an expected out at the bottom of the order. What Ruiz does do is manage a baseball game and handle his pitchers well.

Pitchers seem to have better games with Ruiz than they did with Chris Coste, and Ruiz knows how to fire the ball to catch a runner stealing or sleeping. Ruiz has thrown out 15 of 26 base stealers and has been a part of five double plays.

With the removal of Coste from the roster, Ruiz figures to see even more playing time, as long as he is healthy.

First half grade: C

 

Paul Bako, Catcher
.214 AVG, 6 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI (11 games)

Paul Bako has taken over the role of back-up catcher as Coste has been picked up by the Houston Astros. To be fair to Bako, who has only played in 11 games, a midseason grade will not be handed out.

However, Bako’s addition to the roster was questioned from day one. He has struck out seven times and come up short in a handful of pinch hitting opportunities, including not being able to get a sacrifice bunt down. But he does get some bonus points for getting a walk-off hit against the Pirates over the weekend, capping off a wild rally in the bottom of the ninth inning for a come-from-behind victory.

 

Eric Bruntlett, Shortstop
.139 AVG, 10 H, 0 HR, 6 RBI

Keep in mind that Eric Bruntlett, barring injury to a regular player, will not come close to his 2008 stats anyway. Bruntlett has been nothing but abysmal at the plate this season. His pinch hitting appearances have been tough to watch as he has only walked five times this season.

Bruntlett’s first half has shown that it is imperative that Ruben Amaro Jr. pick up a right handed bat before the trade deadline.

First half grade: F

 

Greg Dobbs, First/Third Base
.269 AVG, 29 H, 5 HR, 16 RBI

Greg Dobbs has played 11 games in the outfield this season but he has played 17 games in the infield, so we’ll grade Dobbs with the rest of the infielders.

Greg Dobbs got off to a slow start, adding to some early season frustrations in the defending world champions as Dobbs was the best pinch hitter in baseball the year before, but he seems to have turned things around.

Seeing some extended time in the field helped to give Dobbs some extra at-bats and some more time to see some pitches and get in a groove offensively.

Now with the regular players back and healthy, Dobbs figures to go back to being one of the top pinch hitting options for Manuel. With that, Dobbs figures to fall well short of many of his 2008 numbers, but if he can get back in his pinch hitting role with a glimmer of his 2008 success, the Phillies will be in good shape.

First half grade: C

 

Overall the infield has been pretty solid on both offense and defense. There should be no doubt that the core of the Phillies franchise right now is the infield, with MVP caliber players at first and second base, one of the best defensive shortstops, and one of the better all around players at third base.

While the back-ups at the positions could use some improvement there is probably not another infield that can top the Phillies from top to bottom.

What are your grades for the infielders? Am I off base on any of these guys? Is someone given too high of a grade (or too low)? Share your grades and thoughts in the comments section.

Phillies Beat Reds 3-2 as Victorino Pushes for Final Vote

Yesterday, Shane Victorino put an end to his off-the-field campaigning for the final roster spot ion the National League for the All Star Game. Instead, he is focusing all of his energy on the field.

Last night he did everything he could to help the Phillies win, including his game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth to give the Phillies a 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

Victorino put on a show for manager Charlie Manuel last night to show why he should be heading to St. Louis next week. The Flyin’ Hawaiian was one of two Phillies with a multiple hit night (Greg Dobbs the other) and a pair of stolen bases. He also scored one run and notched one run batted in, the game winner.

Should Victorino not win the MLB Final Vote for the National League, Manuel could still pick Victorino as a replacement player. Yesterday, it was made official that the Mets’ Carlos Beltran will not participate in the game. Beltran was voted the starter in the fan vote, but his injured knee will keep him out of the midsummer classic.

The Phillies also got another good start from Rodrigo Lopez, but his night was cut short after five innings. Lopez allowed two runs on five hits in five innings, striking out four and walking one, but inflammation in his right shoulder forced the starter out of the game in his second appearance this season.

After the game Lopez claimed he felt some tightness but believed he could be ready for his next scheduled start, which would not be until July 20.

Chad Durbin, J.C. Romero, and Ryan Madson got the job done out of the bullpen, pitching a combined four innings of one hit ball, giving the Phillies a chance to come back to tie the game, and eventually win it. Madson pitched the eighth and ninth innings to pick up the win.

The Reds jumped out to a 2-0 lead but the Phillies tied it up at two with a solo home run from Jayson Werth in the sixth inning. For Werth it was his third home run in three games this series, and each has gone to right center field.

The four-game series concludes tonight, as Jamie Moyer takes the mound for the Phillies. He will be opposed by Micah Owings.

Readers React to Ryan Howard as an All Star

Yesterday I posted a piece about Ryan Howard as a way to defend his selection to the All Star game on the National League’s team. The post seemed to be a pretty popular piece, one of my most successful in terms of hit totals and what not. So naturally I was interested in what the response was from the readers.

While there was one comment left on this site which may have accused me of being a Tim Wakefield fan (for reasons I would love to have cleared up) I found that I was getting more responses from the readers on Bleacher Report.

As you may or may not know I tend to stream many of my posts from here over at the community sports discussion site.

In reading the responses I have found that there are some valid points by the critics of the selection of Howard to the All Star game. For example;

“Clearly, Howard is the fans’ second choice for first base, so why not bring him along?”
—Because fan voting is dumb. If anything the selections of Dustin Pedroia and Josh Hamilton elucidate that.

Yes, Howard is an All-Star, but he’s not deserving, and not (currently) a top-five NL first baseman

1. Pujols – .336 avg/31 HR/82 RBI/1.200 OPS [ZERO protection]
2. Fielder – .313 avg/22 HR/76 RBI/1.056 OPS [Braun protection]
3. Gonzalez – .263 avg/24 HR/52 RBI/.965 OPS [ZERO protection]
4. Helton – .317 avg/9 HR/55 RBI/.903 OPS [Hawpe protection]
5. Lee – .288 avg/16 HR/53 RBI/.882 OPS [ZERO protection]
6. Howard – .252 avg/20 HR/61 RBI/.841 OPS [Utley, Ibanez protection]

I would rather have somebody up that can get a hit or on-base. There’s a higher probability that Howard would just strike out.

– Daniel Abbas

I think it is hard to argue that Ryan Howard is not one of the top five first basemen in the National League though.

Clearly Pujols is tops in the league, and although Howard’s batting average pales in comparison to some others, it is hard to top the power and runs batted in that Howard is going to have over the course of a season. Also consider that Utley does not provide protection for Howard, as he bats in front of the big man (as commenter Andrew Sexton points out).

But also look at Howard’s improved defense this season. Howard’s .994 fielding percentage and four errors committed are nothing to over look. Howard has become more than a one dimensional player.

To read all of the comments you can click here to visit the Ryan Howard post on Bleacher Report. Of course, once again, here is the original post.

Reds Beat Phillies 4-3, Brad Lidge Takes Loss

Last night Pat Burrell hit a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth. But as Burrell plays for another team it did the Phillies no good. Despite a decent outing by JA Happ the Phillies offense failed to carry over some momentum from the previous night and lost to the Reds 4-3.

The Phillies started well as Ryan Howard dented the scoreboard with a solo home run in the second inning. Jayson Werth followed with a solo home run of his own to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead. That lead was pushed to 3-0 in the third inning when Chase Utley hit an RBI-double to score Jimmy Rollins.

Brad Lidge would take the loss, though. Entering a tie game in the ninth inning, not a save situation, Lidge gave up a leadoff double to Joey Votto, who would score a couple batters later to give the Reds their first lead of the game.

Happ, as mentioned earlier, had a good game. Going seven full innings Happ allowed three runs on six hits and struck out seven batters while walking none.

But Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips had his way with Happ. Phillips hit two home runs off of Happ, accounting for the first three runs for Cincinnati, which tied the game after being down 3-0.

Philadelphia’s downfall was hitting with base runners in scoring position. The Phillies batters were 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left twelve batters on base.

Ryan Howard is an All-Star; Deal With It!

“he’s batting .252

what a god damn joke

the nl sends 4 1st basemen to the all star game…hilarious!

so now i suppose Pujols plays maybe 4 innings to get the other guys in there.

he needs to play all nine innings if the nl wants to win.

but no, lets give ryan “i cant even hit my weight” howard some pt

la-dee-frickin-da”

– PocketFives.com

When it was announced that Phillies manager Charlie Manuel had selected his own Ryan Howard as a reserve for the National League All Star team, some eyebrows were raised.

There is no question that the Phillies first baseman is a star in the league, but critics point to his numbers compared to other players that had a chance at the All Star game and will question the decision to bring four heavy-hitting first basemen to St. Louis.

Look, there is no question that Albert Pujols is the class of first basemen in the game today, so his high vote total is not to be questioned. But how can you say no to a player who received the second-most votes at his position?

The first thing we need to do is decide whether or not the All Star game is for the fans or not. With the hype in recent years about the game “now meaning something” (home field advantage in the World Series), the fact of the matter is that the All-Star game now should be more competitive and not specifically about pleasing the fans.

If competition is what you want, than the decision to bring Howard to St. Louis is a good one. Imagine if the All-Star game has the American League up by a run late in the game.

The National League has a runner in scoring position. Who would you rather see in a pinch-hit situation; Ryan Howard, who can pop one out of St. Louis on a regular basis after eating some home cooking, or some scrub from Pittsburgh who is only there to ensure that each team is represented?

If you are of the belief that the All-Star game is about the fans, then Howard makes even more sense. Pujols ran away with the fan vote for the starting lineup, but Howard received about 300,000 more votes than Prince Fielder and finished second in voting for first base.

Clearly, Howard is the fans’ second choice for first base, so why not bring him along?

Yes, Howard may be going because Charlie Manuel likes him and wants to reward Howard for all he has done under Manuel, but this is not exactly like Manuel is going overboard here, like Joe Torre and Terry Francona have done in the past.

I would have questioned Manuel if any Phillies pitcher had been going, but Manuel gets it. He is there to win the ball game. Howard gives him a better chance.

All the naysayers can complain if they want. The fact of the matter is Howard going to the All-Star game makes sense on both sides of the coin.

Phillies Beat Reds 22-1 In Complete Domination

There is no other way to describe a game that was expected to be a pitcher’s duel and wound up looking more like an exhibition between a defending World Series champion and the local little league squad sponsored by Dairy Queen.

The July 4th holiday has come and gone, but the annual fireworks games at Citizens Bank Park are not scheduled until the end of the week. However, the Phils’ lineup did their part to continue the fireworks exhibitions in Philadelphia by beating Cincinnati last night in every facet of the game (offense, defense, pitching), cruising to a 22-1 victory.

Everything unfolded rather quickly for Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto, who lasted just two thirds of an inning and was charged with nine-earned runs. Jimmy Rollins lead off with a walk and the Final Vote candidate for the All-Star game, Shane Victorino, provided some Hawaiian Punch with a two-run home run.

With two outs, Greg Dobbs connected for another two-run home run to give the Phillies a 4-0 lead. With the Phillies building a 7-0 lead in the first and with two runners on base, Reds manager had no choice but to pull his starting pitcher. After Cueto left the game, Chase Utley hit a three-run home run off of Reds pitcher Daniel Herrera.

The offense continued to have their way by scoring six runs over the next three innings. Things got so out of hand for the Reds that Baker decided to send in shortstop Paul Janish to pitch the eighth inning.

In his second appearance on the mound this season, Janish was hit hard by the Phillies. Janish walked two batters and gave up four hits, including a grand slam by Jayson Werth, who capped off the evening by representing the Phillies’ 22nd run of the evening. Janish took one for his team and allowed six runs in the eighth.

Not to be lost on the night of offensive fireworks was the performance of starter Cole Hamels, who needed a good game as his previous two outings were poor.

The ace of the staff got the job done on the mound, going seven full innings, allowing just three hits, one of which was a solo home run in the second inning. The strike outs were rare though as Hamels only recorded two strike outs, but he walked none.

Hamels also helped his own cause at the plate by hitting a key two-out double in the first inning, scoring two runs on the play. With two hits, two runs batted in and two runs scored, Hamels actually had a better offensive night than Ryan Howard, who went one-for-four.

Scott Eyre returned to action from his stint on the disabled list. The veteran lefty pitched the ninth inning with the Phillies holding on to a 21-run lead. Eyre gave up a pair of hits but struck out two batters and did not allow a run despite having two men in scoring position.

The Phillies set a season high with 21 hits on the night. The 10 first-inning runs tied a franchise high.

The 22 runs are fifth most in a game in franchise history and the most since scoring 26 against the Mets in 1985. The margin of victory is the largest in Phillies’ franchise history and the worst defeat in the Reds’ 140-year franchise history.

Why Vote For Victorino? Here’s Why

Shane Victorino, the feisty and gritty center fielder for the Phillies, is among the nominees for the National League’s final roster spot for the 2009 All Star game. His competition is Cristian Guzman of the Nationals, Matt Kemp of the Dodgers, Mark Reynolds of the Diamondbacks, and Pablo Sandoval of the Giants.

So how does Victorino stand up against the other nominees?

At first glance it may appear that Reynolds could be a favorite based on his power numbers, but Victorino holds his own and should be the winner of the final vote.

Let’s look at Victorino’s numbers…

Right off the bat, hitting for a .300 average is nothing to be upset about. What the stats don’t tell you above is that Victorino has the fewest strike outs (39) than any of his competition, yet has the most at bats (320), meaning Victorino strikes out 12 percent of the time. His competition?

• Reynolds strikes out 36.9 percent of the time (111 SO in 301 AB)
• Kemp strikes out 24.5 percent of the time (74 SO in 302 AB)
• Sandoval strikes out 15.4 percent of the time (43 SO in 279 AB)
• Guzman strikes out 14.5 percent of the time (42 SO in 289 AB)

Throw in the fact that Victorino has the second most walks (32) among the Final Vote candidates and it may turn some heads. Only Reynolds has been given a free base more times with 38.

Victorino, with five home runs, is second from the bottom in that category, but everybody knows that power is not his game. Still that could detract some votes for fans who look for home runs.

What Victorino does offer that no other candidate can is Gold Glove caliber defense. Victorino picked up his first career Gold Glove award for his play in center field last year.

If your team is looking for a clutch double play then you better hope that Victorino is not the batter. Victorino has hit into just two double plays this season, fewest among his final vote candidates.

Victorino’s two double plays are half as many as the next fewest (four for Sandoval). To be fair though, batting second behind a struggling Jimmy Rollins has vastly limited Victorino’s opportunities to hit into double plays this season.

On the flip side though, you have to wonder how Victorino’s RBI would look if Rollins was on track from the start of the season. Victorino has 31 extra base hits, and if Rollins had his offensive game in check you would have to imagine that Victorino’s RBI numbers would increase to a certain level.

With 35 RBI in the second spot in the lineup, you could expect his total to raise by at least ten runs if Rollins was getting on base from the start of the season in the leadoff spot.

There are some good arguments for a few of the Final Vote candidates on the National League squad, but the favorite should be Victorino.

World Series Phlashback: 2008 – Game Five

After being swept out of the 2007 playoffs by the Colorado Rockies, the Phillies were determined to not repeat their failures in 2008. After clinching their second straight division title the Phillies dispatched of the hot Milwaukee Brewers and took out Manny Ramirez and the rejuvenated Los Angeles Dodgers. All that was left was a matchup with the Cinderella story from the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays.

For either team the 2008 Fall Classic was going to be the perfect ending to a wonderful season. Philadelphia though was looking to capture its first world championship in any sport in a quarter century.

We continue our next phlashback series with a look at Game Five of the 2008 World Series, which took place in Philadelphia.

It was a night that nobody in Philadelphia will forget. Well, actually it was two nights that will long live in Philadelphia history.

The Phillies were looking to clinch the second World Series title in franchise history, but the night had an ominous feel to it. Optimism took control though as the Phillies would be sending out Cole Hamels to finish things off.

Hamels, the NLCS MVP entered the possible clinching game with a 4-0 record in the playoffs that year and he had elevated his game to a new level. He had become money in the postseason by learning from the mistakes he had made in his 2007 postseason debut.

The young left-hander, the ace of the team, got off to a good start by retiring the first three batters of the game. The offense took it from there.

Jayson Werth drew a one-out walk to get the ball rolling on Rays Game One starter Scott Kazmir. After Chase Utley was hit by a pitch and Ryan Howard struck out swinging, Pat Burrell walked to load the bases. Shane Victorino then hit a shot down the left field line to bring in two runs on a single.

Up2-0 the Phillies loaded up the bases with two outs when Pedro Feliz hit a single to move the runners up. Carlos Ruiz couldn’t add to the damage, flying out to end the first inning.

The Rays finally got on the board in the fourth inning when third baseman Evan Longoria picked up his first hit of the series to score Carlos Pena, who had picked up his first series hit with a double. The Phillies would take a 2-1 lead into the fifth inning.

In the fifth inning the weather really started to turn bad, leaving fans, the teams, and even television broadcasters Joe Buck and Tim McCarver wondering why Commissioner Bud Selig had not already stopped play. Rain was falling and wrecking havoc on the field.

Jimmy Rollinsfailed to catch an easy pop fly at the start of the fifth inning because the weather was interfering that badly. If Rollins misses a pop fly you know the weather is creating unplayable conditions on the field. Hamels was able to get out of the inning without any damage. After the Phillies failed to score in the bottom half of the fifth the game proceeded, despite worsening weather conditions, to the sixth inning.

Hamels recorded the first two outs without much trouble, but Rays center fielder B.J. Upton would not go down as easily. Upton hit a single to the shortstop position and Rollins could not cleanly make a play due to the weather.

Upton then stole second base, seeming to be unaffected by the soggy base paths, on the first pitch to Pena. Upton would then score on a single by Pena. The Upton run tied the game at two runs. Pena advanced to second base on a passed ball, but Hamels was able to retire Longoria to end the inning.

It was between the half innings that Selig made the decision to suspend the game until playing conditions would allow for the resumption of the game. Little did people know that they were about to witness history.

For the first time in baseball history the World Series game would be suspended and would not resume until two days later, as the day after the suspension saw snow and rain in the Philadelphia area.

When the game finally resumed two nights later, it picked up where it left off. With the game tied at two the Phillies would have four turns to bat to the Rays’ three. Optimism had returned.

Geoff Jenkinsof all people would lead off, acting as a pinch hitter for Hamels. Jenkins rocked a 3-2 pitch to deep left center field, but the ball stayed in the park. Jenkins reached second base and got the Citizens Bank Crowd rocking. Rollins put down a fine sacrifice bunt to move Jenkins into scoring position and Werth’s single up the middle brought Jenkins home and put the Phillies on top 3-2.

Rays right fielder Rocco Baldelli silenced the fans in the top of the seventh inning with a solo home run to left field off Phillies reliever Ryan Madson. Madson had usually been used in the eighth innings of games to set up for closer Brad Lidge, but manager Charlie Manuelwanted to go with the matchups.

It was in the seventh inning that the signature defensive play occurred. After Baldelli’s home run had tied the game, shortstop Jason Bartlett hit a single to left field and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Akinori Iwamura hit a single up the middle that was fielded by Utley.

Making a play for the out at first was impossible, but Bartlett attempted to go home rather than hold at third base. The run would have given the Rays the lead but Utley faked Bartlett out and threw home to Ruiz. Ruiz made the terrific tag to keep the game tied. It may have been the turning point of the game.

Pat Burrell, the longtime fan favorite in Philadelphia, entered the seventh inning still looking for his first hit of the World Series. He got it at the perfect time, leading off the bottom of the seventh inning with a hit to the deepest part of the park.

Burrell’s leadoff-double to deep center field set up the Phillies to regain the lead once more. Eric Bruntlettwas sent in to pinch run for the slow footed Burrell. Bruntlett moved to third base on a ground out by Victorino. Then came third baseman Pedro Feliz.

Feliz wasted little time, smacking the second pitch he saw from Rays reliever Chad Bradford right up the middle and into center field. Bruntlett came home to give the Phillies the critical late inning lead at 4-3.

J.C. Romero entered the game for the Phillies in the eighth inning and got his three batters faced out, thanks to a double play. After not scoring in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Phillies did what they had done all season long; hand the game over to closer Brad Lidge.

Lidge had entered the game 47-for-47 in save opportunities during the 2008 season, including the playoffs. All he had to do was record one more save.

Evan Longoria popped out to second base. Catcher Dioner Navarro hit a single to right field to give the Rays a chance to tie the game. Speedy Fernando Perez was sent in as a pinch runner, and Ben Zobrist was used as a pinch hitter for Baldelli. Perez stole second base with one out and the nerves started to really kick in for Phillies fans.

Would this be Lidge’s first blown save?

Zobrist lined out to Bruntlett in left field. Down to their final out Rays manager Joe Maddon used Eric Hinske, who had already hit a home run in Philadelphia as a pinch hitter, in place of shortstop Jason Bartlett. Hinske quickly fell in the hole at 0-2.

On the 0-2 pitch Lidge did what he does best; strike out the batter with a nasty slider.

With the swing and a miss from Hinske the Phillies had clinched their second World Series title in franchise history. The players rushed the field and piled on Lidge and Ruiz.

For the Phillies a feeling of relief poured all over Philadelphia. The Phillies brought the city its first championship in the major sports since the Sixers did it in 1983. This was the first championship for the Phillies since 1980.

For the Rays a magical season had ended abruptly. Bitter feelings filled the Rays as they could point to a number of instances where games could have gone differently, but ultimately they went down in defeat, as most Cinderella stories do.

It remains to be seen where these teams will go from here.

At this point in the season the Phillies are clinging to the NL East race and battling injuries poor offense at times.

The Rays picked up Burrell in the offseason and are battling their own injury problems. The Rays find themselves in fourth place in a tough AL East but are by no means out of the picture.

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Click here for my original recap.

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