PHILS-ASTROS GAME PREVIEW: GAME 3

VS.

PHI: RHP Brett Myers (1-1, 5.00 ERA)
In his last start, Myers looked as comfortable as he’s been since his return to the starting rotation. He allowed three runs over eight innings while striking out five and walking none to earn his first win of the season by beating the Cubs. In six lifetime starts against Houston, Myers is 2-2 with a 5.59 ERA. Myers’ most recent start against the Astros was his final one of 2007, before shifting to closer.

HOU: RHP Brandon Backe (1-1, 2.25 ERA)
Backe teamed up with three relievers in a combined nine-hit shutout of the Marlins in his last start on April 12, the righty’s first victory since Sept. 29, 2007. He needed 105 pitches, including just 58 strikes, to get through five innings in a performance that he called “effectively wild.” His defense bailed him out on several occasions as the Marlins stranded 14 baserunners. Backe will need to have better command against a dangerous Philadelphia lineup.

Once again, for the 5th time, the Phils will try to hit .500…again. Last night’s game was a tough one to swallow considering Michael Bourn hit the home run that ended up winning it for the Astros and the offense couldn’t get going. The game today starts at 1:05pm and unfortunately I will be at work so that means I will have to check play-by-play on my phone. Now for anyone who ahs never done this it takes forever to update and is really annoying. here is an example of yesterday’s game’s play-by-play:

Inning 1

Top Half

B:1 S:2 O:0 - Michael Bourn singles on a ground ball to second baseman Chase Utley.

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B:2 S:2 O:1 - Mark Loretta lines out softly to right fielder Geoff Jenkins.

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B:2 S:1 O:1 - With Lance Berkman batting, Michael Bourn steals 2nd base.

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B:3 S:3 O:2 - Lance Berkman called out on strikes.

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B:3 S:2 O:2 - Carlos Lee doubles (4) on a line drive to left fielder Pat Burrell. Michael Bourn scores.

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B:1 S:3 O:3 - Miguel Tejada called out on strikes.

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Bottom Half

B:1 S:1 O:0 - Jayson Werth singles on a line drive to center fielder Michael Bourn.

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B:0 S:0 O:1 - Pedro Feliz grounds out, third baseman Geoff Blum to first baseman Lance Berkman. Jayson Werth to 2nd.

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B:1 S:1 O:2 - Chase Utley flies out to center fielder Michael Bourn. Jayson Werth to 3rd.

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B:3 S:2 O:2 - Ryan Howard singles on a line drive to center fielder Michael Bourn. Jayson Werth scores.

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B:0 S:2 O:2 - Pat Burrell singles on a ground ball to shortstop Miguel Tejada. Ryan Howard to 2nd.

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B:1 S:0 O:3 - Geoff Jenkins grounds out, second baseman Mark Loretta to first baseman Lance Berkman.

See? Not fun. Anyway tonight I will recap tonight’s game which will hopefully end in a Philly victory. I am not as confident tonight for some reason but hopefully my hesitation proves to be needless as Myers throws a complete game giving up 1 ER and the offense pounds Brandon Backe and then Geoff Geary for 10 runs and Lidge comes in and strikes out the side just for fun.

DAMN YOU BOURN! PHILS LOSE 2-1

PHILLIES CONTINUE WASTING GOOD PITCHING EFFORTS AS KENDRICK IS LATEST VICTIM

Kyle Kendrick is the Phillies latest pitcher to fall victim to no offensive support as he goes 7 strong only giving up 2 runs. This is just frustrating at this point. Adam Eaton should be 3-0 at this point but gets no support except for Tuesday’s miracle come back. It’s unfortunate that Bourn, who was traded away to Houston for Lidge and Bruntlett, was the one to hit the winning home run of the game.

This game flew by ending around 9:30pm and it seemed as if we never really had any chances to win anyway. I don’t recall too many runners being left on, considering Oswalt got back on track against the Phils going 7 IP with 4 Ks and only giving up 1 ER in the first inning.

Well you can’t win them all but we certainly could have won this one. With Myers taking the mound tomorrow I can’t help but wonder what Myers we are going to get. The Myers that showed up against the Cubs, or the Myers that shows up thinking about being a closer and giving up 5 ER a game. Anyway this night is over with and all I can think about right now is the Hamels vs. Santana match up on Friday, it;s gonna be good people. See you tomorrow for the game 3 preview.

PHILS-ASTROS GAME PREVIEW: GAME 1

VS.

PHI: RHP Adam Eaton (0-0, 3.95 ERA)
The right-hander has turned in two quality starts for the Phillies, rebounding nicely from a rough 2007. Eaton held the Mets to three runs in six innings on Thursday, before New York went on to win in 12 innings. Manager Charlie Manuel said that he has been impressed by Eaton’s aggressiveness in the strike zone. In six career starts against Houston, Eaton is 3-1 with a 4.42 ERA.

HOU: RHP Shawn Chacon (0-0, 3.75 ERA)
Chacon turned in a quality start Tuesday, but didn’t factor in the decision. He yielded three runs in six innings in a loss to St. Louis. He had control issues early, throwing more than 30 pitches in a second inning during which he walked three. Chacon said he didn’t think he’d go deep in the game after throwing so many pitches early. Chacon pitched in three games against the Phillies last year, allowing four runs over 2 2/3 innings. In his career, Chacon is 1-2 with four saves and a 5.87 ERA over 10 games vs. the Phils.

Hot off their first series win of the season the Phils today will take on the Astros. That means Ed Wade is back in town and gets to watch his fisher price team he built get slaughtered by the talent he developed. Enjoy the show Ed Wade. I’ll be at the game tonight so the wrap-up will be up after 11pm.

PHILS-CUBS PREVIEW: GAME 3

GAME 3

VS.

PHI: LHP Jamie Moyer (1-0, 4.66 ERA)
The left-hander rebounded from a poor first outing to limit the Mets to two runs in six innings on April 8, helping to spoil the final home opener at Shea Stadium.

CHC: RHP Jason Marquis (0-0, 6.75 ERA)
Marquis was scratched from his start Thursday because he was ill. If he can’t go Sunday, left-hander Sean Marshall, called up from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, will start. Marquis is coming off an April 5 no-decision against Houston, in which he gave up five runs, four earned, on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings. Marshall was a starter this spring, but added as a long man in the bullpen.

The Phils locked up their first series win of the season last night in a convincing 7-1 win, raping Ted Lilly for 5 earned runs, including a 2 run homer by Howard and another one by Feliz. So today we look for the sweep. i can see the Phils beating up on Marquis pretty bad, if he ends up getting the start. In their careers Jenkins, Burrell, Howard, Bruntlett, and Utley have all owned Marquis, all batting over .300, Utley and Burrell are batting over .400, against him. Marquis might still not be ready to go because he might still feel sick, in which case AAA call up Sean Marshall will go for the Cubs. I don’t know much about Marshall but I guess we will find out if he gets the start. I think we complete our first sweep of the season today, I feel good about this game and I think Moyer will pitch 6 strong innings. With Victorino now on the 15 day DL it will be interesting to see what Cholly does with his lineup. I say we have Burrell lead off, just kidding. GO PHILS!

PHILS-CUBS GAME PREVIEW: GAME 2

VS.

PHI: LHP Hollywood Hamels (1-1, 1.20 ERA)
Hamels was terrific against the Cubs last season with a 2-0 record and 1.80 ERA. In 15 innings, he gave up only three earned runs.

CHC: LHP Ted Lilly (0-1, 9.72 ERA)
Lilly will be making his third start this season and his first away from the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. Lilly has not reached the sixth inning in either of his first two starts.

After last night’s win the Phils will look to make it 2 in a row behind the team’s ace in a #2 disguise, Cole Hamels. The Phils have never had much success against Lilly but with Burrell’s latest hot streak maybe he will rough up the southpaw Lilly. Cole Hamels pitched real well against the Cubbies last season as his 2-0 record and 1.80 ERA against them shows. I expect a win tonight in probably another nail biter and close , low scoring game. Game wrap-up will be up tonight at around 11pm. GO PHILS!

THE QUESTION HAS BEEN ANSWERED…

MACHINE…

The Phils beat the Cubbies 5-3 last night in a GREAT game. Last night’s win snapped me out of the funk I had been in since the night before on Reyes’ phantom touch of home plate. The game didn’t start off too good though. With 2 outs Derreck Lee and Aramis Ramirez hit back-to-back home runs and made it 2-0 in the early going. In the bottom of the first Victorino led off with a single then Dobbs followed with a single of his own putting men on 1st and 3rd with none out. Next thing you know the Cubs complete a strike em’ out throw em’ out double play as Utley goes down swinging on a full count and Dobbs is dead meat at second. It was real ugly and demoralizing, especially because Howard followed with a strike out.

But in the 4th inning the Phils would fight back. Chase Utley singled to lead off the inning but was erased breaking up a double play ball that put Howard on first. Then up comes Pat Burrell, who at this point was 1-10 lifetime against Zambrano (who I hate, he is a scumbag) with 4 K’s. He promptly unloaded on the first pitch he saw from Scumbrano and tied the game at 2. Also prompting me to dance naked…

The game wouldn’t be tied long as Soriano led off the top of the 5th inning with a solo homer (cheap one) putting it in the 1st row of left field. After that though Myers would buckle down and it would be the last run he gave up in a beautiful 8 inning effort. But in the bottom of the 5th Victorino drew a 2 out walk and scored on a double by Dobbs that Fukudome had caught but dropped the ball when his glove hit Soriano to tie the game at 3.

Next in the bottom of the 6th the Phils would add 2 runs off of back-to-back doubles by Howard and Burrell, Burrell’s 3rd RBI of the night and both doubles were to the opposite field, Burrell to the OPPOSITE FIELD. After that Jenkins grounded out and moved Burrell to 3rd where shortly after Ruiz singled him in to make the score 5-3 in the Phils favor. Myers then pitched scoreless frames in the 7th and 8th innings and handed the ball over to Lidge in the 9th.

Now this outing by Lidge was no normal routine save opportunity, it was his first in Philly, a crucial one. Lidge got a quick 1 pitch out to retire Derrek Lee. The next batter was Aramis Ramirez who hit a ball deep to left that would hit off Taguchi’s glove at the wall, a ball Taguchi should have had. Ramirez thought he had a homer and, like the dickface he is, he stood there and watched it. But he ended up being able to hustle to second somehow and get a double that should have been ruled an error. Lidge then got Daryle Ward to ground out moving Ramirez to 3rd. So this was it. Lidge quickly got ahead of Geovany Soto 0-2 and the crowd stood to it’s feet and cheered Lidge on to get that last strike, and he did. Striking out Soto to end the game was a picture perfect ending to Lidge’s first (hopefully of many) saves at CBP. I think this first one in Philly was a very big deal and he definitely needs this city behind him to succeed. That’s all for now look for the game 2 preview later today.

PHILS LOSE 4-3 ON BAD CALL AT THE PLATE

ANOTHER GOOD OUTING BY EATON BUT THE PHILS LOSE AGAIN

The Phils were down 3-0 pretty much all night until the start of the 7th when Pedro Feliz lead off with a solo home run. Next Chris Coste drove a ball off the left field wall for a double then Jayson Werth doubled to make it 1st and 2nd with no outs. So then of course the Phils waste that opportunity as Victorino, Bruntlett, and Utley strike out in that order. Bruntlett is this year’s Barajas. So in the 8th Howard leads off with a home run and it’s not 3-2 then Pat Burrell walks and is replaced by So Taguchi. Jenkins then singles and moves Taguchi to 3rd, who scores on a Feliz ground out, tie game. At this point I’m thinking “OK the Mets bullpen is gonna blow it like usual and we are gonna get the win”, nay. The game then drags on to the 12th inning after good pitching from Madson, Romero, Lidge, Seanez, and Gordon. But Gordon stays in for a second inning. He gets 2 quick outs and looks like he might make it through the inning with relative ease. Then Reyes comes up and hits a double to center field. Now I’m thinking “wonderful, Gordon is gonna choke” and in part I was right. Gordon next gives up a hard hit single up the middle to Asshole Pagan who suddenly thinks he knows how to play baseball (he WILL come back down to earth) and there is a close play at the plate. After watching the replay repeatedly in slow motion I am positive Coste blocked the plater and tagged Reyes before he was able to touch the plate. All in all the Mets got a hometown discount and got the call they wanted. But the Phils didn’t help themselves by going 0-12 with runners in scoring position so I have no sympathy. Now we have Myers who has sucked so far going against Carlos Zambrano who has been nothing but amazing so far. Tonight isn’t looking good at all, I’m not even doing a game preview cause I’m too angry from last night. It was hard enough writing this post. PHUCK THE METS!

“I had the plate blocked. I had the ball before he got there,” Coste said. “He hit my glove, then reached for the plate. I’m not going to get into it too much, because it’s simple. I tagged him before he touched the plate. Obviously, it’s not an easy call for the umpire.”

-Chris Coste

PHILS SIGN STEVE KLINE, ROLLINS OUT OF LINEUP AGAIN

PHILLIES SIGN KLINE TO A MINOR LEAGUE CONTRACT

I think this is a good move. He isn’t required to be on the big club and will be called up as needed. He is throwing in Clearwater before heading to the AAA Lehigh Valley iron Pigs. This might doom Clay Condrey though, I don’t see anyone else getting the boot if Kline is called up.

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Also Jimmy Rollins is not in the line up again tonight. i have a strong feeling he will be sorely missed…again.

PHILS-METS PREVIEW: GAME 3

PHI: RHP Adam Eaton (0-0, 3.52 ERA)
Eaton turned in a stellar 2008 debut on Saturday, allowing two runs in 7 2/3 innings. To put that in perspective, he lasted that long just once in his 30 starts last season. While one start can’t erase the memory of his 10-10 record and 6.29 ERA in 2007, Eaton and his teammates were encouraged by his economical outing.

NYM: RHP John Maine (0-1, 9.00 ERA)
Maine needed 96 pitches to complete four innings in his 2008 debut, and his teammates didn’t give him all that much offense. The Braves fouled off many pitches and didn’t hit him all that hard.

Well Adam Eaton looks to return the Phils to their winning ways against the Mets tonight at Shea Stadium. Eaton pitched well his first outing of the season against the Reds but ended up not factoring in the decision, leaving in a tie game. Maine on the other hand was not the pitcher the Mets saw in spring training as he gave up 4 earned runs in 4 innings against the Braves. After last night’s horrible showing of defense I expect Rollins to play tonight, hopefully, so we can get back on track and get back to a .500 record. Game time is 7:10pm LETS GO PHILS!

CRAZY K INDEED, PHILS LOSE 8-2

ERIC BRUNTLETT COMMITED 2 COSTLY ERRORS IN A 3 RUN 3RD INNING FOR THE METS

Yesterday was ugly. Ryan Howard gave Kyle Kendrick the nick name “Crazy K” when he came up from AA last year and the name stuck. Well last night he lived up to that moniker walking 6 batters in 2.1 IP. The Phillies also committed 4 errors in the game bringing the grand total to 13 on the season. They looked like the friggin bad news bears out there. In the 3rd inning Eric Bruntlett, under study for Rollins, booted 2 balls hit to him failing to get Kendrick out of the inning. I’m sure however Rollins is feeling today, he will be in the line up. Adam Eaton goes for the Phils tonight and let’s hope he can continue his winning ways against the Mets.