Swing and a Miss

Destination Philadelphia

2009-11-28T11:39:00.005-05:00

Once upon a time, not long ago, baseball players -- especially pitchers -- openly and adamantly avoided coming to Philadelphia at all costs. Not any more.

Word is Roy Halladay has listed Philadelphia as one destination he'd definitely accept should the occasion arise.

Winning does that.

HOF (Amended)

2009-11-28T08:56:00.004-05:00

The candidates for baseball's 2010 class of the Hall of Fame were announced the other day and voters are going to have some tough decisions to make.

Among first time candidates, Roberto Alomar, Edgar Martinez and Barry Larkin present the most difficult choices. Among holdovers Lee Smith will get serious attention.

Alomar should be a lock to enter the Hall, expectoration factor notwithstanding. He was a superb second baseman who hit for average (.300 on the nose for his career), ran the bases very well and could poke a home run when needed.

Martinez will get the closest scrutiny and draw the most doubters because he was a DH most of his career. Since that position is now a staple of the American League, however, and given Martinez won two batting titles en route to a career .312 average, he should enter the Hall.

Larkin will probably be the best candidate who fails to make the Hall...at least this year. A careeer .295 batter, he won an MVP award, multiple gold gloves and several trips to the All Star game. Those totals won't be enough to gain entry if the voters recognize Alomar's and Martinez' cases are stronger.

Among the holdovers, Smith might finally make the Hall based on his outstanding saves total. The biggest factor that might weigh against him is that a number of relievers have entered the Hall in recent years and all were flashier than Lee. Bert Byleven should make the Hall on merit. He may finally get the recognition he deserves.

If I were voting, Alomar and Martinez would get my votes along with Bert Byleven. The last time I looked, I hadn't received an official ballot.

This And That

2009-11-08T08:31:00.002-05:00

The loss to the Yankees wasn't nearly as devastating as it could have been coming a year after their unexpected triumph in the 2008 Series and given the number of holes the Phils had on this year's squad.

Still, they might have won had Charlie Manuel not made of mess of the starting rotation by opting for Pedro Martinez instead of Joe Blanton or J.A. Happ. Of course Charlie couldn't help himself. When it comes to playing favorites the Phils skipper always errs on the side of seasoned veterans.

Jason Weitzel felt both Blanton and Happ "were leaking oil" as the regular season wore down and to some extent he was correct. But Pedro didn't bring more than savvy to the Series and, frankly, how wily was he in that sixth game when he threw nothing but slow fastballs? Give me an "inexperienced" pitcher like Happ, whom the Yankees didn't really know, over that sort of veteran presence any day.

* * * * * * * *

The Brett Myers era in Philadelphia is over and judging from his response everyone is more or less pleased to see him go. In eleven years in provided something slightly north of a .500 record and plenty of headaches. Here's one fan who won't miss watching him looking somewhere near the opponents' dugout as he flies open in his delivery.

* * * * * * * *

Cole Hamels is officially the joker in the deck going into next season. Who will show up in 2010, the pitcher who electrified the post-season in 2008 or the immature hurler who unraveled throughout 2009? The guess here is someone in between at best. All of those rolled eyes, audible groans and, of course, the lack of a third pitch are not going to disappear over night...if at all.

* * * * * * * *

The other joker in the deck, frankly, is Jimmy. Same question applied to him as to Hamels, i.e., will we see the 2008 or 2009 version...or better yet, the 2007 or 2009 version.

* * * * * * * *

Third base hasn't exactly been the black hole (as commenter extraordinaire George Southrey labeled it during the David Bell debacle) of the recent past while Pedro Feliz manned it, but it isn't exactly a shinning spot either. Feliz is a good fielder but an unproductive hitter in a spot that is normally expected to be offensively productive with power to boot. Of the potential replacements out there one, Garrett Atkins, would be a huge mistake I don't expect Ruben Amaro to make. Atkins, a teammate of Chase Utley at UCLA, is a lousy third baseman with declining offensive skills. He won't be coming here...thankfully.

* * * * * * * *

Nearly everyone pointed out what an upgrade Raul Ibanez was over Pat Burrell and they were correct. Nevertheless, I'd like to see the Phillies trot out a left fielder once in a decade or more who doesn't make every other play an adventure. Ibanez played hurt the second half, but his defense isn't likely to improve much with his operation to repair a sports hernia. The Phils signed Ibanez to a three year contract last off-season and that final year looks likely to be a very long one.

* * * * * * * *

Chase Utley not only astonishes us, he confounds us, too. Everyone had given Chase up for dead by the time the post-season began as he went into his now annual decline as the regular season wore down. Was he hurt? Was he simply spent? Had he been overworked by his manager? Then, of course, he rebounded in the Series and put on a pretty darned good offensive display while allaying any fears he had become Steve Sax incarnate in the field.

All of that said, Manuel has got to give Utley a break from time to time next season whether or not he, Manuel that is, wants to or not. Utley wasn't much use to his team in the last month of the regular season and when the Braves and Rockies caught fire at the end, things got interesting. A healthy and more rested Utley in September is too important to abuse in the months leading up to those final days of a pennant chase.

* * * * * * * *

From all appearances, Brad Lidge is a nice guy; nice but possibly a little too fragile above and below the neck. This guy has seen his fortunes rise and fall more dramatically than some monster roller coaster ride. There is the infamous home run ball he served up to Albert Pujols that resulted in a devastated ego and lost year the next season. Then, of course, came the perfect year that concluded with Lidge on his knees in front of the mound at Citizens Bank Park as battery mate Carlos Ruiz rushed to embrace him. That was followed by this year in which Lidge led the league in blown saves and, worse in my opinion, an unending series of excuses regarding knees, elbows, release points, etc.. Mind you, none of these were offered as excuses but that's what they were. Going into the Series every pundit thought the Phils' weakest link was the back end of their bullpen and, as it turns out, they were absolutely right.

And Then There Were None

2009-09-26T08:38:00.015-04:00

Countdown has ended.

Cold Comfort

2009-09-24T05:35:00.005-04:00

Brad Lidge has put together back-to-back memorable seasons over the last two years but we're sure he'd like to forget the most recent one.

2008 was perfection;2009 isn't!. For his major league leading eleventh time, Brad Lidge blew a save last night, turning a certain Phillies victory into another crushing defeat as the Marlins scored two runs in the ninth inning to take two of three games in the series. With the loss and blown save Lidge has now directly contributed to or been solely responsible for nearly 20% of the team's losses this season.

We've all heard Lidge, his pitching coach or his manager speak optimistically every time the Phils closer seems to have regained his 2008 form only to watch a debacle like last night throw cold water on the situation. The truth is, sports fans, he's lost "it". Whatever precisely "it" is that closers possess, and surely one thing is the ability to stop the opposition in its tracks, Lidge no longer has it in sufficient quantity. The harsher truth is, there isn't anyone else the Phillies can turn to. As if we needed further reminder that Ryan Madson isn't the answer, Madson gave up a run in the eighth inning preceding Lidge's meltdown. Madson opened the door; Lidge invited the Marlins to stay.

At this point no one, especially the other eight guys on the field at the time, wants to see Charlie Manuel hand the ball to Lidge. Frankly, I'd bring in Clay Condrey or Sergio Escalona. What, you ask? To which I'd reply, "What, they are going to do worse than Lidge?" Just tell them it's the seventh inning. After all, that's about as far as the bullpen fears to tread anyway.

Talk about squaring into shape as the season winds down.

Forget Who's On First! Who's In The Rotation?

2009-09-14T11:37:00.003-04:00

Normally at this juncture of the season starting rotations and bullpens are set barring injury. Roles have been defined and routines have been established.

Not in Philadelphia.

Kyle Kendrick thew something of a monkey wrench into an already unsettled situation and Pedro Martinez continued to mess with the order of things as the Phils swept the Mets in a day-night doubleheader yesterday.

Kendrick pitched very well in the day game; Martinez pitched even better under the lights. Oh, and Brad Lidge pitched poorly again while Brett Myers flashed some of the form that had him leading the majors in home runs allowed. Meanwhile, newly crowned closer Ryan Madson got crowned but good in blowing a save Saturday afternoon.

Kendrick joined six other pretenders for the starting rotation (Lee, Hamels, Blanton, Martinez, Moyer) by mixing his pitches just like the Phillies hoped he'd learn to do when they sent him down to AAA for the year. All thatPedro did was win his fifth straight game without a loss.

At this point in September teams in playoff contention are beginning to think about setting up their rotations in anticipation of the initial round. Around these parts the question looming largest is who is going to be in that rotation in the first place?

Next?

2009-09-13T11:17:00.002-04:00

Who's next?

New setup man Brett Myers gave his best imitation of his home-run derby delivery yesterday and new closer Ryan Madson blew his sixth save of the season, no small feat given he isn't the regular closer, as the Phils dropped an ugly game to the New York Mets, 10-9.

Rather than solving their problems at the back end of the bullpen, the Phillies wake up Sunday morning with bigger ones than ever. If last season saw them peaking as the regular season drew to a close, this season finds them scrambling around, their starting pitching erratic, the bullpen an utter mess and their offense sputtering.

The only outcome likely to come from yesterday's debacle is that Brad Lidge is going to get another chance to close a game...real soon...as in probably today with a day-night doubleheader looming.

Myers and Madson surely knew the twin bill was scheduled for today, but that didn't help them limit the exposure of the bullpen in yesterday's come-from-behind loss. After sporting the Mets a big lead, the Phils roared back to take a big lead themselves only to watch David Wright launch not one but two home runs, the final one the killer. Meanwhile, Florida won to move to within five games of the Phils. With a tough schedule looming including six games against the Marlins, this thing is far from over.

Wall Of Worry

2009-09-11T08:29:00.004-04:00

The Phillies return to soggy Citizens Bank Park Friday night sporting a 2 - 5 record from the roadtrip through Houston and Washington and, worse, all sorts of problems and inconsistencies.

The finale of the trip saw previously reliable Joe Blanton get rocked while the nearly always slumbering offense waited until the ninth inning to show some life before Ryan Howard grounded into a game-ending double play that halted the rally a run short. They didn't deserve to win this one, though just desserts are never the point.

So, where do we stand with the lead over those pitching-loaded pesky Marlins at five games and dwindling?

Right now Pedro Martinez looks like the sharpest starter and that's not something to be happy about. Blanton, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels all showed signs of inconsistency on the trip. J.A. Happ is out with an oblique strain, which depending on the source you read is one of the most difficult injuries to recover from quickly or, in his case, is mild enough not to cause too much concern. Given the Phillies poor history on the forthcoming-about-injuries front, we'll just say there are better than even odds he is going to take some time to come back.

Lee's problems may simply be too much pitching. In his first five starts for the Phillies he threw two complete games and pitched deeply in the others. Now, he is getting rocked early, a clear sign he is fatigued. Hamels has been inconsistent and immature all season. If he doesn't get a grip on his emotions soon, he is always going to be one blown call or play away from self-destructing. It's never a good sign when, after the game, your pitching coach talks about "body language", as in, well, his body language wasn't too bad. To whom is his language speaking, Rich?

The struggles on offense remain the chief concern because, frankly, the Phils were always expected to overcome pitching deficiencies with their bats. Jimmy Rollins remains stuck in the .24o's, going after first pitches and swinging up too often, always looking for lift. Those 18 home runs he's hit don't do anyone any good. Chase Utley continues to wear down at the end of every season, his admirably intense approach to everything about the game a virtue to all who watch him and a liability to his own body. Shane Victorino has also been slumping, perhaps due to his nagging knee injury or just because he, too, goes all out all the time. The rest of the offense is muddling along with Raul Ibanez showing some signs of life but still vulnerable to too many pitches.

It's to worry about.

Getting Closer To A Closer?

2009-09-09T08:56:00.003-04:00

It's too early to say the Brett Myers or Ryan Madson era has begun but it's late to be saying Brad Lidge can no longer be counted on to close games.

The Phillies beat Washington last night on the strength of Pedro Martinez' good outing and solo home runs from Raul Ibanez (2), Jayson Werth, Carlos Ruiz and Chase Utley. The homers gave the Phils four players (including Ryan Howard) with 30 or more home runs.

Still, that achievement nearly came to naught as Lidge loaded the bases with Nats in the bottom of the ninth before Madson came in to get the final two outs. Lidge was his usual 2009 self, that is to say, wild and unreliable. He gave up a hit, hit a batter, threw a wild pitch and walked a batter. For once, Charlie Manuel saw enough just in the nick of time and summoned Madson before victory became defeat. Madson struck out the dangerous Ryan Zimmerman and induced the equally dangerous Adam Dunn to ground out. The thought of Lidge facing either batter was literally frightening to his manager.

The five home runs by the Phils came in bunches and, as usual, accounted for all but one of their runs. The solo shots were the 13th in their last 14 round-trippers, as clear an indication as one could want that people are not getting on base.

Instead of rounding into playoff shape, a lot remains unsettled with this club. Several pitchers remain sidelined with injuries and some of the starting position players are walking wounded. Chief among their concerns remains the matter of who closes, not going forward but tonight if needed!!!

The Second Time Wasn't Charming

2009-09-07T21:49:00.005-04:00

I had to correct the post below ("So Many Holes...") after originally having mistakenly written the Phillies had been swept by the Astros Sunday afternoon when I realized a Monday game remained. Now I can write it.

The Phillies were swept by the Houston Astros Monday.

The scenario was so familiar I should have just said see the post dated such-and-such. The Phils got a good starting pitching effort but wasted it as the bullpen failed to hold a lead. They didn't score often and when they did most of their runs came via the long ball. They failed to capitalize on critical scoring chances. Blah blah blah.

Next up are the Washington Nationals, normally the panacea for all that ails the Phillies. Right now, however, it's hard to feel confident let alone cocky about their chances against anyone. They look terrible.

So Many Holes Have Opened

2009-09-07T08:26:00.004-04:00

Nearly all the signs coming out of the Phillies dugout these days are lousy. They aren't hitting much. They aren't scoring many runs and when they do it is only via the long ball. They aren't getting consistent pitching from their starters. They can't finish off games consistently.

After taking two out of three at home from the Giants by the slimmest of margins, the Phils went to Texas where they have promptly dropped three straight to the Astros. Cliff Lee was bombed. Brad Lidge blew another save. Cole Hamels followed two fine starts with a bad outing. The Hamels performance was particularly galling because once again he lost his composure, something, frankly, he rarely did when he had his command. For a guy with his major league experience to have to walk behind the mound to take a big, public moment to calm down is disturbing. In today's finale they will depend on J.A.Happ, who has lost two straight, to salvage a game.

At a time of year when the Phillies should be putting the finishing touches on their edifice, they are faced with cracks and fissures everywhere one looks. While they are still capable of the odd offensive explosion here and there, for the most part they are fizzling. Whereas two weeks ago the starting rotation looked to be rounding into perfect form, this morning there are more questions than answers. If they playoffs were to begin tomorrow, I wouldn't like their chances.

Time For A Change

2009-09-06T12:15:00.005-04:00

Any moment now we should find out if Brad Lidge still believes Charlie Manuel is "the most supportive" manager for whom he's ever played because the skipper has no choice but to replace Lidge with Brett Myers in the closer's role. What does Manuel have to lose? Another game!

Lidge blew his tenth save of the season last night ruining a good effort by Joe Blanton and Brett Myers to say nothing of a struggling offense. The walk-off loss to his former teammates was ugly but, then, all blown saves and resultant losses are ugly by definition.

No matter what the explanation for his ineffectiveness this season, Lidge has been given more chances than he probably deserved. The final month of the regular season is hardly the time to be auditioning Myers, just off the forever Disabled List following him surgery, but Lidge has left the Phillies with no other choice. Manuel isn't considered a players' manager for nothing; he is extremely loyal, especially to veterans. But he doesn't like losing, either, and every time he summons Lidge the chances of such an outcome increase. No one can be loyal to losing.

* * * * * * * *

Meanwhile, the injury bug has bitten two of the Phils key players, Chase Utley and Shane Victorino. Thus far the Phils have largely been immune from the bug with the notable exception of Myers and some of the relief corps. Utley fouled a ball off the same foot hit by a pitch earlier in the season. Victorino is favoring the same knee he landed hard on more than a month ago. Now is the time to sit these guys. Utley already has; it appears Victorino is about to.

Cause For Concern

2009-09-05T14:32:00.004-04:00

Uh, oh.

For the second straight outing Cliff Lee looked more than a wee bit mortal as the Phils continued to not knock the cover off the ball in losing to the Astros 7-0. This was the second time in their last four games the vaunted offense was shut out.

Lee gave up six runs in three innings and though the Astros were not teeing off on him quite as lustily as the Braves did last week, they did slice and dice him pretty good. Now, suddenly, the picture at the top of the rotation has gotten a little bit more confusing. Cole Hamels, putative ace until the acquisition of Lee, has pitched two straight strong games while Lee has been raked hard. Charlie Manuel would probably settle for something more in the middle from his top two guys. Compounding the concerns, J.A. Happ has lost two straight starts though in his case both loses came suddenly, in a single inning, when he grooved a few pitches that left the yard.

Of far greater concern is the collapse of the offense. No one is hitting consistently and many are not hitting period. The Phils have roughly 30 games to turn it around before the post-season and they'd better start soon.

I Digress

2009-09-04T10:57:00.005-04:00

I might as well make myself perfectly clear from the get-go: Roger Goodell is a jerk. The guy who essentially absolved league darling Bill Belichek for spying on opposing teams and allowed the evidence against him to be destroyed has handed down a decision regarding Michael Vick that can be charitably described as vindictive.

The matter of Vick's reinstatement and redemption is not my concern here; rather, I am addressing the commissioner's handling of the case post facto, i.e., after Vick had served his sentence, been released from prison and signed by the Eagles. It is appalling that Goodell would first allow Vick to resume his NFL career, endorse the Eagles' signing of him, then dilly-dally about how long his banishment from full reinstatement would last and finally rule he had to sit out the first two weeks of the regular season after playing in the preseason. What are those two weeks going to prove to anyone, least of all Goodell? Will Vick be a better man for those additional 14 days of NFL probation? Goodell is a classic holier-than-thou type who professes charity as long as he isn't required to practice it.

* * * * * * * *

An Oregon running back participated in a pre-game handshake at midfield with his opponents from Boise State, played on the losing side and proceeded to sucker punch an opposing player who at worst tapped him on the shoulder and said something less than sportsmanlike (unsubstantiated) to him afterwards. What should the punishment be? Ban him for the season. Send a real message for a change. Now, let's see just how sportsmanlike team and league officials really are.

* * * * * * * *

Much has been said about the relative lack of buzz about the U.S. Open if not professional tennis in general these days and most seasoned observers think it is not so much a lack of quality among the top players as a lack of charisma among them, especially of the controversial kind. It's hard to argue with those who say tennis misses the petulance of a John McEnroe or the fiery demeanor of a Jimmy Connors. I never cared for McEnroe's antics but I'm sure those people who like car wrecks and fights at hockey games paid the price of admission just to wait for an outburst. For my inexperienced and inexpert part, I don't much care for booming serves playing a much greater role in the outcome of matches on both the mens' and womens' sides.

* * * * * * * *

Tiger Woods is showing his mortal side lately, blowing a final round lead in the PGA Championship then missing a putt that would have tied him for the lead in regulation in a recent tourney. On top of that, a piece on NPR was far from flattering about his demeanor and language on the course, away from the TV cameras for the most part. The lords of the networks are hardly going to show the Golden Goose acting more like an Ass, but that's how he came across in the article. How disillusioning!!

* * * * * * * *

Shane Victorino is remembered by a lot of fans around the nation for pointing to his ribs not his noggin' after nearly being deliberately beaned last season in the playoffs against LA, so it isn't surprising he was the first Phillie to try the new batting helmet. Player response to the far more protective device has been extremely negative when it hasn't been outright derisive. The Mets David Wright, who was beaned recently and suffered a serious concussion, tried the helmet, too, but gave up on it after a few days because he didn't like being the brunt of his teammates' jokes and barbs. If anyone should be literally interested in a tougher skin it is Wright. Bad move, David.

Message Delivered

2009-09-04T08:18:00.003-04:00

As I settled in to watch Pedro Martinez face Tim Lincecum last night I said to myself, "Pedro's going to throw a fastball to begin the proceedings and if I am the first guy up I am swinging away."

That was the last time I was right all night as Martinez and the rest of the Phillies fooled me in delivering quite a message to San Francisco and the rest of the National League, to wit: talk all you want about our sluggers, we can pitch with anyone!

The Phils only managed four hits against Tim Lincecum and the bullpen but they made everyone count when you also throw in a HIT batsman. Jayson Werth rocked Lincecum in the second inning for a mammoth home run and Chase Utley, the aforementioned hit batsman, scored from first on a double by The Piece himself.

Meanwhile, Martinez didn't let his first pitch faux pas ruin his evening as he settled down to deliver a game that should ease the minds of Phillies fans going forward and put to rest for the foreseeable future any question of where Jamie Moyer fits in the rotation, doubleheaders excepted.

If the night belonged to Pedro, he must share the spotlight withWerth, one of my favorite whipping boys. Werth has had a season to remember and it ain't over. Finally given a chance to see his name in the lineup every day, collars the night before notwithstanding, Werth has delivered career highs in every offensive category while fielding his position well, at times very well. He may make the occasional bonehead mistake on the base paths, his powerful arm can be erratic and he still seems to have some problems going back to the wall, but Werth provides the Phils with a potent bat behind Ryan Howard, something the Phils desperately need as Raul Ibanez sinks further.

What makes the Phillies triumph in two out of three games against San Francisco's stellar staffall the more astonishing is that they scored all of three runs in winning those two games. Talk about making the most of opportunities!

Dirty Socks Just Wanna' Have Fun

2009-09-03T17:47:00.000-04:00

ESPN reports Curt Schilling is "interested" in filling the Senate seat of Ted Kennedy.

One reason he would: The Republicans are desperate.

Two reasons he would not:

1. He has no qualifications; and,
2. Massachusetts voters may hold Schilling in high regard as a pitcher with a bloody sock but they are historically the most liberal electorate in the United States and aren't about to elect someone of his persuasion.

Schilling is also quoted as saying "'[Running] would be fun'" Great, Schill. Just the kind of comment I'd expect from a ballplayer. How many times have we heard "we go out there and just try and have fun."?

Having fun is not normally listed by U.S. Senators as one of the reasons they run for elected office and even in this declining Republic, it isn't normally listed among the reasons people vote for one candidate over another.

Tell you what, Curt. Stay home. Write your blog. Collect your pension. Chime in with your usual opinions straight from the hip. But stay away from public office. The country is already in enough trouble without your helping things along.

Wither Runners In Scoring Position?

2009-09-03T08:04:00.003-04:00

The increasingly ugly truth is the Phillies have stopped hitting. Going back a few weeks now they've been mired in a collective slump save the occasional long-ball assault led largely by Ryan Howard.

Chief among the fallen is Raul Ibanez, who looks terrible at the plate. Since returning from the DL in the Summer, his average has dropped more than fifty points and is now in real danger of falling below .270. How much longer can Charlie Manuel run him out there instead of the far better fielder and certainly no lighter hitter than Ben Fancisco?

J.A. Happ took last night's loss, his second straight in which he pitched well until suddenly self-destructing and serving up long balls. No doubt it would help to know he was getting some support, but he has only himself to blame for serving up fat pitches. Commentary by Gary Matthews correctly suggests part of the problem is pitch selection. When he had Juan Uribe down 1-2 in the count it was no time to throw him a fastball up in the zone. Aaron Rowand followed with a home run off a pitch that could be charitably called right down Broadway with nothing on it.

Everyone is regressing to their personal mean at the same time. Pedro Feliz has stopped producing. Shane Victorino is slumping. Jimmy Rollins' march to respectability has hit a speed bump. The aforementioned Ibanez is falling below his career average. Jayson Werth remains streaky. Chase Utley is hitting but hovering around the .300 mark, too. Up one day a point or two, down the next. Howard is the only one who is hitting including singles and doubles, but, alas, there's no one on base ahead of him.

Welcome Back, Cole

2009-09-02T14:18:00.006-04:00

Let's face it, Cole Hamels is a big game pitcher, especially when it's a really big game. The young left-hander's march through the playoffs and World Series last year earned him an MVP trophy, a big new contract and the adoration of fans throughout the Delaware Valley.

Most of his performances since then have earned him a barrage of questions, only some of which he has chosen to directly address.

In his last two outings he has been superb, particularly last night in one of those really big games. Why was it so big? Let us count the ways:

1. He was facing a potential playoff opponent.
2. He needed to show the last outing against a lesser opponent was not a fluke.
3. He was opposed by a young stud who'd thrown a no-hitter this season.
4. He had to convince his teammates he was back on track.
5. He had to convince the Giants he and the Phillies knew a thing or two about pitching, too.
6. He had to prove he could win without much run support.
7. He had to establish his command, which had been shaky most of the season.
8. He had to throw a third pitch every now and then.

He did all of those things, though he still relied mainly on the fastball and change. The result was a two-hit shutout of the Giants. Coming two days in advance of facing arguably the best pitcher in the NL, Tim Lincecum, Hamel's stellar performance re-established him as a top of the rotation pitcher, which, frankly, he hadn't been since, well, last October. You can be sure the Giants noticed.

Pepper

2009-09-01T09:11:00.004-04:00

There is still plenty of baseball left in the regular season and plenty to play for besides personal glory.

A piece in today's Inquirer outlines the tight race for home field advantage between the Phils, Dodgers and Cardinals. Finishing with the best record carries much more than bragging rights; the top team gets home field advantage. In point of fact the Phils, among the three teams, have by far the best road record, so playing at home isn't necessarily an advantage for them. Still, if you were to ask anyone in the organization, he'd rather have 45,000 fans screaming for rather than against him.

* * * * * * * *

Untouchable Kyle Drabek has been shut down completely for the season after everyone in the organization determined he'd pitched enough innings, especially for a guy recovering from Tommy John surgery. The Phillies brain trust insisted they'd shut him down strictly for precautionary reasons and that he was in fine health, but some observers noted he'd not pitched well of late and seemed to have lost a lot on his fastball.

Given their track record on health issues and the truth therein, it's difficult to take the Phillies at their word.

* * * * * * * *

Old friend Jim Thome is on the move again. The White Sox traded him to the Dodgers yesterday, one of several moves the Chisox made in capitulating for this season. It's hard to figure out where Thome fits on a National League roster, but the Dodgers obviously feel he can come off the bench for an occasional Matt Stairs imitation, 2008 edition that is!

For their part, the Phils did absolutely nothing at the deadline, no doubt because they saw no one available who would improve them. Hard to argue with that strategy. Of course for every five Brad Pennys available there is one John Smoltz. Go figure. The same organization gave up on both of them despite needing starting pitching and who could blame them given how each performed. So Smoltz goes to St. Louis and is dominant in winning his first two starts while Penny lands in San Francisco and will start against the Phils tomorrow night. He'll probably shut them down.

If You Cut Him He Will Bleed

2009-08-30T09:58:00.003-04:00

Cliff Lee bled last night for the first time as a Phillie. He absorbed quite a pounding at the hands of the Atlanta Braves, giving up six runs and three homers in five labored innings of work. Apart from his rare meltdown, what struck this observer was not so much the Braves dictating the pace for the normally quick-working Lee, but the other way around. He seemed to take off his cap, mop his brow and take longer to deliver the next pitch than in any other start since joining the Phils. He looked hot and a bit tired as though he were pacing himself in the sultry atmospheric conditions of semi-tropical Citizens Bank Park.

Ok, so he's human, but the big concern all along from my perspective has been the number of innings Lee has thrown to date, completing two of his five previous starts and going deep in the others. Frankly, if he was going to get roughed up, an early exit isn't so bad.

Meanwhile, the Braves, whose players and manager had been whining the night before about the bandbox the Phils call home, didn't utter a single peep last night after they'd hit a few over the walls. What's sauce for the goose apparently is not sauce for the gander.

One For The Offense. One For The Staff

2009-08-29T09:17:00.003-04:00

Over the last fifteen games the Phillies overall record is 11 - 4. Looking a little more deeply into those numbers they are 7 - 4 - 4, that is, seven wins courtesy of 24 players, 4 outright wins courtesy of Ryan Howard, and four losses.

The usual death and taxes comparisons have been invoked when speaking about Ryan Howard's customary late-season surge at the plate. The only thing out of the ordinary this season is that Howard began his run earlier than in previous years. The Big Piece, as his manager calls him, has been the difference between a mediocre August and one in which the Phils have opened an eight game lead over their two chief division rivals this season, Florida and Atlanta. If the BP is just getting warmed up, September promises to be a month to remember.

Meanwhile, Jamie Moyer may have griped publicly about his "demotion" to the bullpen when Pedro Martinez joined the club but he cannot be unhappy with his two appearances since then, both ironically in relief of Martinez and both impressive performances and wins for the ancient one.

Ruben Amaro and the Phillies brain trust deserve a lot of kudos for the Martinez signing and decision to move Moyer to the pen. Going into the stretch run and likely playoff appearance, the Phils have an abundance of pitching, which as everyone knows can never be too much. Moyer not only provides an additional starter should doubleheaders be necessary, he has also spelled relief for the middle of the bullpen. He may not be happy but he certainly hasn't allowed his displeasure to affect his work.

Running Out Of Steam

2009-08-28T07:35:00.003-04:00

Peaking too soon? Hardly. They haven't peaked yet.

The Phillies dropped two of three to one of the worst teams in baseball, doing so in the same fashion that has plagued them periodically throughout the season, namely a lack of hitting overall and especially of the timely variety.

Last night they wasted an excellent effort by J.A. Happ, who surrendered a two-run homer in the eighth inning to take the tough loss. After the game, Happ appeared disconsolate, struggling by his own admission to find words for the late inning breakdown he suffered. Frankly, for a guy who is seen as cool under fire, it was impressive to see how deeply he cares. Other pitchers on this staff either stop talking to reporters or fade into the night.

Apart from Ryan Howard's tenth inning heroics the night before, the Phils looked pretty lame in Pittsburgh. They got excellent starting pitching overall but their bats must not have made the trip from Citi Field.

Tonight, weather permitting, they get to face one of the hottest young pitchers in baseball. Watch, the reverse curse has just been invoked.

Cue The Bugle, Boys!

2009-08-27T09:05:00.003-04:00

What else can one say? Thank goodness Ryan Howard's on our side! I know Ryan Madson was saying that a little more than 11 hours ago.

Speaking of Madson, he did absolutely nothing to alleviate concerns about the closer role on an otherwise set team. Madson ruined Cole Hamels' chance for a win by surrendering a game-tying home run in the ninth inning to a pinch-hitter who entered the game with a grand total of five round trippers up to that point. Madson also ruined his chances of taking over the role Brad Lidge has failed to fill adequately.

Some time back in December or January I declared this was a team that would have to outslug its opponents to take the division title and advance in the playoffs. At that point the starting rotation looked unimpressive but the bullpen did not. Eight months later the starters have been very solid, especially with the addition of Cliff Lee, and the back end of the bullpen has been a disaster.

Maybe Howard, Jayson Werth and Chase Utley can overcome any late inning woes by the pen, but it is a dangerous way to live, one which, incidentally, no World Series team has ever done successfully.

The saga continues with the latest chapter, the Seventh Cavalry's own Brett Myers, waiting in the wings just off camera.

Who Ya' Gonna' Call?

2009-08-26T17:24:00.005-04:00

Over at Beerleaguer Jason Weitzel asked readers the other day whether or not they thought the Phils were peaking too soon, a fair question given the tear they'd been on before last night's ninth inning collapse in Pittsburgh and the lead they've opened over their closer pursuers.

Still, my answer would be no and my reasons would be three, as in three straight losses to Florida at home a mere two weeks ago. Only two weekends ago they looked really miserable.

Another reason they haven't peaked too soon would be Brad Lidge. No one with a closer like Lidge can be said to have peaked period. He's certainly capable of losing a lot more games going forward given what he's done looking back.

I certainly have no idea if he's hurt or has completely lost his confidence. We've been told ad nauseum that neither is the case. What I do know is batters are laying off his slider, which is normally about a 58 foot pitch with Lidge, and are sitting on his fastball, which isn't one of those intimidating heaters and lately has a pronounced proclivity to arrive right smack dab in the middle of the plate where is resides briefly before beginning its return journey over some outfield wall.

Now, everyone except Charlie Manuel, at least publicly, is awaiting the second coming of Brett Myers as a relief pitcher. Before injuring his hip and electing to have it surgically repaired in mid-season, Myers had been giving up home runs at a prodigious rate before he went down. He'd also lost something on his fastball, going back more than a season. Blame it on his hip? Well, why not, everyone else seems to feel that explains his awful record prior to the surgery?!

Somehow, I am not comforted by the prospect of the always-erratic Myers riding to the rescue. The trouble is, as everyone has observed, there aren't any real alternatives at hand. Ryan Madson is not a closer and has proven so whenever presented with the opportunity to step into that role. [This post was written before he gave up a game-tying home run to Pittsburgh in the ninth inning tonight, costing Cole Hamels a well-earned victory.] No one else on the current staff qualifies either. At this time of year there aren't a lot of closers sitting at home, domestically or in the Dominican Republic, waiting for a call from Ruben Amaro. The only legitimate closer out there was Billy Wagner, coming off Tommy John surgery, pitching for a hated division rival, and a serious malcontent when he called Philadelphia home a few years ago. That shouldn't have happened and didn't!!

The trouble is Lidge has been horrible, as likely to pour gasoline as water on any fire he encounters. Giving him the ball in a tight game is very risky and everyone, his manager included, knows it. Right now, though, he's all the Phillies have until Brett Myers comes trotting in from right center field, protests of "not wanting to take anyone's job" notwithstanding. I can't wait. On second thought, I can.

You Think?

2009-08-24T10:00:00.006-04:00

You say baseball is a crazy game? Yeah, right.

Eric Bruntlett, without doubt the most forgotten and forgettable Phillie this season, ended the game yesterday with an unassisted triple play -- only the second time this has ever happened in major league history -- and in the process produced what will be one of the most if not the most memorable plays of 2009. Oh, and he did this after booting two balls earlier in the inning. One more thing: the seldom used utility player had three hits in the game and still ended the day hitting .154 for the year.

John Smoltz, released by the Red Sox after his latest comeback went seriously off the tracks, landed on his feet in St. Louis where he won his first start and in the process struck out nine including a career-best seven straight at one point. Those of you who maintain the AL is the tougher league should chime in here.

The New York Yankees crushed Boston Friday night 20 - 11 and roared right back the next day to score one run in losing 14 - 1.