The Philadelphia Phillies had a chance to pick up a game on the National League East division-leading Atlanta Braves after the Braves lost again to the Colorado Rockies. Controversy again plagued the game as it did on Monday night. Houston Astros starter Bud Norris and Phillies starter Cole Hamels locked up in a pitcher’s duel with Hamels’ only blemish being a two-run homerun by Carlos Lee through the wind blowing in. Norris only allowed an RBI double to Raul Ibanez in the 6th inning. The Astros would lead the game 2-1 heading into the 9th inning when Jimmy Rollins tied the game at 2-2 with a solo homerun off Wilton Lopez with two outs (Lopez had not allowed a run in 20+ innings).

The controversy came in the bottom of the 14th inning with Ryan Howard at the plate. The Phillies had runners on second and third with two outs and a chance to win the game. However back-to-back check swing calls against Howard led to his strikeout and immediate ejection by the third base umpire. The Phillies had no more position players left, leaving Ibanez to move to first base and starting pitcher Roy Oswalt to play left field. The first play in the 15th inning was a fly ball to Oswalt that he handled cleanly.

In the top of the 16th, the Astros got to rookie reliever David Herndon. Astros outfielder Hunter Pence singled with one out and Brett Wallace was hit by a pitch. After a wild pitch, Jason Michaels was intentionally walked. Chris Johnson followed with a ground ball to third baseman Placido Polanco, who tried to get the force out at second base, but everyone was safe and a run scored. Tommy Manzella then followed with a ground ball that Rollins made a great play on but Ibanez could not hold on at first base for the double play and another run scored. The Astros took a 4-2 lead. In the bottom of the 16th, Oswalt came to bat as the winning run but grounded out to end the game.

The NY Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays continue to keep pace with each other as they are tied for first place in the American League East and the wild card. The Yankees brought out the offense on Tuesday night, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 11-5. They jumped on Blue Jays starter Marc Rzepczynski for six runs in just three innings. They also blasted five homeruns in the victory. Fill-in starter Dustin Moseley held the Blue Jays to two runs on five hits in six innings.

The Rays jumped on LA Angels starter Ervin Santana for five runs in the first three innings. The Rays pounded out 13 hits and 10 runs, with Evan Longoria going 3-for-5. Rookie Wade Davis returned to the rotation and was solid, allowing just two runs on six hits in 5.1 innings.

In Chicago, the White Sox scored four runs in the bottom of the 7th inning against Baltimore Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie to break away from the Orioles to take a 6-2 lead. However Bobby Jenks was needed in the 9th inning as the Orioles came back to make it a 7-4 game and had the bases loaded with nobody out. Jenks was relieving JJ Putz (who got hurt while warming up), who was relieving Sergio Santos. Jenks got Ty Wigginton to hit into a double-play (though a run scored) and Luke Scott to pop up to end the game. The White Sox pulled to within 3.5 games of the Minnesota Twins, but may be in trouble. Both Putz and left-handed reliever Matt Thornton went on the disabled list Wednesday.

The Twins were in Texas for their big series against the AL West-leading Rangers. The Twins jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning over Colby Lewis, but he settled in from there. Lewis allowed three runs on seven hits through 6.1 innings. Twins starter Carl Pavano pitched a complete game in the loss. He allowed four runs on eight hits. Andres Blanco of the Rangers delivered two key doubles and scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the 7th inning in the Rangers 4-3 victory.

Tags:

Atlanta Braves, Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies, Roy Oswalt, Ryan Howard

The Philadelphia Phillies have allowed the rest of the National League East to get back into the race. I know it is only the end of May, but fans are beginning to get concerned over the way the Phillies are performing on the field. Facing their rivals the NY Mets at Citi Field, the Phillies were swept in the three-game series.

Not only were they swept, but they were shutout in those three games. The Phillies have only scored in one inning in their last 47 innings (three runs in the ninth inning against Boston Red Sox reliever Ramon Ramirez on Sunday night).

Last night after an almost two-hour rain delay to start, Mike Pelfrey limited the Phillies to just three hits in seven innings if work. Though he walked five, he also struck out five. Phillies starter Cole Hamels pitched well until the seventh inning as he was only losing 1-0. However he gave up two more runs in the seventh before being taken out. Mets reliever Pedro Feliciano and closer Francisco Rodriguez shut the Phillies down for the 3-0 victory.

The Phillies accumulated just four hits, three of which came from Shane Victorino. For the Mets, Jose Reyes collected three hits and two RBIs.

Chicago Cubs veteran Ted Lilly faced off against LA Dodgers rookie John Ely, which turned into a pitcher’s duel. The game was scoreless into the eighth inning when Mike Fontenot, who came off the bench to play third base, ripped a triple. Rookie Tyler Colvin pinch-hit and ripped an RBI single for the game-winner.

Ely ended up being the hard-luck loser as he allowed just that one run in the eighth inning. He allowed four hits and struck out four. Lilly allowed three hits in seven innings of work. Left-hander Sean Marshall was credited with the victory with one scoreless inning of relief and Cubs closer Carlos Marmol worked a perfect ninth while striking out the side to record his 11th save.

Coming off being swept by the Red Sox, the Tampa Bay Rays had the Chicago White Sox in town. Rays starter Jeff Niemann was dominant as he allowed just a solo homerun to Mark Teahen in the eighth inning. Niemann went eight innings and allowed three hits while striking out five. Offensively, the Rays got solo homeruns from Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria, who also had two hits, as the Rays won 5-1.

The Red Sox, after sweeping the Rays, welcomed the KC Royals to town. Despite collecting nine hits off Royals starter Brian Bannister, the Red Sox could only muster single runs in the fourth, fifth (a solo homerun from Bill Hall), and sixth innings. The Royals capitalized on Red Sox starter Dice-K Matsuzaka’s wildness, as he walked eight in just 4.2 innings (and allowed three runs).

Royals relievers Robinson Tejeda, Blake Wood, and Joakim Soria combined for three perfect innings (with Soria throwing just eight pitches). Offensively, the Royals collected just four hits with the hits all coming from their 2-3-4 hitters (Mike Aviles, David Dejesus, who had two hits, and Billy Butler).

The Baltimore Orioles took a 5-2 lead and allowed starter Brad Bergesen to begin the eighth inning. After allowing just two hits to the Oakland A’s through seven innings, Bergesen allowed two hits to lead off the eighth and was relieved by Jason Berken, who got Rajai Davis to fly out. Berken was out and left-hander Mark Hendrickson was in.

After getting an infield pop-out for out number two, Ryan Sweeney deposited an RBI single. Then Kurt Suzuki followed with a single off the foot of Hendrickson to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Jake Fox then hit a ground ball to shortstop that took a bad hop on Cesar Izturis for an RBI single to cut the Orioles lead to 5-4. Hendrickson was out and in came Cla Meredith, who immediately allowed a two-run double to Kevin Kouzmanoff to give the A’s a 7-5 lead. The A’s scored five runs with two outs in the eighth inning for the victory.

The Colorado Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks at their own game on Thursday. They hit four homeruns off Diamondbacks starter Dan Haren to account for six of the eight runs the Rockies scored. They hit back-to-back-to-back homeruns in the seventh inning with Seth Smith beginning it all with a two-run pinch-hit homerun, followed by solo homeruns by Carlos Gonzalez and Ryan Spilborghs.

Rockies starter Jason Hammel was solid in his 5.1 innings of work. He allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out eight. The top two hitters for the Rockies, Gonzalez and Spilborghs, were 6-for-8 with three RBIs and five runs scored. The 8-2 victory gave the Rockies a sweep.

Tags:

Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Cole Hamels, Francisco Rodriguez, Jeff Niemann, Mark Hendrickson, Mike Fontenot, Mike Pelfrey, Philadelphia Phillies, Ramon Ramirez, Ryan Spilborghs, Sean Marshall, Tampa Bay Rays

Being in Philadelphia last night for the Phillies game against the St. Louis Cardinals, I was treated to a dominant pitching performance by Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick.

Kendrick has not been great so far in 2010, but followed up Cole Hamels dominant performance from the night before and carried it into Wednesday night. Kendrick baffled the Cardinals hitters into some weak swings and ground ball outs (9 outs via ground balls).

He scattered six hits through seven shutout innings. The Phillies offense did just enough against Cardinals starter Brad Penny as Placido Polanco hit a two-run homerun in the fourth inning and Shane Victorino hit a solo homerun in the sixth.
Wednesday night was a night for late game heroics.

In Cincinnati, the Reds Orlando Cabrera hit a walk-off homerun leading off the bottom of the tenth to give the Reds a 3-2 win over the NY Mets. Cabrera’s big swing eliminated the sour taste that Francisco Cordero’s blown save gave Reds fans.

In Cleveland, the Indians held a 4-3 lead heading into the top of the ninth inning. However closer Chris Perez could not complete the save as the Toronto Blue Jays scored three runs to take the lead.

With two outs, Aaron Hill hit a ground ball to shortstop Luis Valbuena that went between his legs, scoring Fred Lewis and continued the game. The next batter, Adam Lind connected for a two-run go-ahead homerun to give the Blue Jays a 5-4 win.

In Houston, the Astros received solid starting pitching from Brett Myers, as did the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks from Rodrigo Lopez. Both pitchers went seven innings while allowing two runs.

The game was tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth went Carlos Lee crushed a pitch from Juan Gutierrez out of Minute Maid Park for a two-run walk-off homer (it was his first homerun of the season).

Astros rookie shortstop Tommy Manzella also connected on a homerun in the second inning (a two-run shot) for his first Major League homerun.

Atlanta and Washington battled back-and-forth throughout the night. Washington tied the game at 6-6 in the bottom of the eighth on a pinch-hit two-run single by Josh Willingham off Takashi Saito.

However in the top of the tenth, the Braves scored a run off of Matt Capps to win the game 7-6. Braves rookie right fielder Jason Heyward exited the game early with a sore groin (he is day-to-day).

SF Giants starter Barry Zito is finally pitching the way Giants management envisioned when they signed him away from the Oakland A’s. Last night Zito improved to 5-0 with a 1.49 ERA.

He went into the eighth inning allowing one run on seven hits. The Florida Marlins had their chances in the eighth inning off Zito as they loaded the bases with a run in and Hanley Ramirez at the plate. That was the end of the night for Zito and in came Sergio Romo.

Romo struck out Ramirez and induced an inning-ending double-play from Jorge Cantu to end the threat. In the ninth, the Marlins scored a run off Giants closer Brian Wilson, but Wilson rebounded with the tying run on third by striking out Wes Helms to end the game.

Marlins starter Nate Robertson was solid as he allowed three runs (two earned) in 5.1 innings though he took the loss.

Through six innings in San Diego, the Padres and the Colorado Rockies were tied at 5-5. Neither starting pitcher was that good (Clayton Richard nor Aaron Cook). However the offenses went to sleep against both teams’ bullpens.

The game went into the twelfth tied until the Rockies Ian Stewart hit a solo homerun off Padres reliever Tim Stauffer for the game winner. It was the first run Stauffer had given up in the 2010 season.

The pitching matchup of the night seemed to be Tampa Bay Rays Matt Garza against the Seattle Mariners Cliff Lee. Lee was dominant in his first outing of the season and Garza has been dominant all season.

The game was a pitcher’s duel early on until the Mariners Franklin Gutierrez hit a two-run homerun off of Garza in the bottom of the fourth inning. Many felt that would be enough for Lee.

However he gave the two runs right back in the top of the fifth. Lee would struggle in his eight innings while giving up five runs (four earned) on ten hits. Garza went eight innings and allowed just those two runs on five hits while striking out five. Garza improved to 5-1 as the Rays won 8-3.

Tags:

Barry Zito, Brad Penny, Brett Myers, Chris Perez, Cole Hamels, Jason Heyward, Juan Gutierrez, Kyle Kendrick, Luis Valbuena, Rodrigo Lopez, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays

As the analysts on MLB Network say, Livan Hernandez is the 95 year old pitcher who keeps on pitching. Well, he’s not exactly 95, but he’s been around for quite a few years. Hernandez continues to prove everyone wrong this season with the Washington Nationals. Hernandez has been dominant and last night was no different.

He gave up an unearned run in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves and Braves rookie Jason Heyward took him deep in the fourth inning (his 9th homerun of the season). However that was all the offense the Braves could muster against Hernandez. He went into the sixth inning and allowed just five hits (though he walked five). He also lowered his ERA to 0.99 as he improved to 4-1.

The Braves came on in the ninth inning against National reliever Miguel Batista (scoring one run to cut the lead to 6-3), but closer Matt Capps quickly dispatched the Braves on four pitches (as he got two outs). Offensively the Nationals were led by the 6-7-8 (Ivan Rodriguez, Roger Bernandina, and Ian Desmond) hitters who went 6-for-12 with three RBIs.

In Philadelphia, another fan ran onto the field, but this time succumbed to the security guards before police were on the scene. However the fan interrupted play in the top of the ninth with the Phillies ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0. Starter Cole Hamels was still in the game and he was visibly upset by the stoppage in play (though he denied that it bothered him in interviews after the game).

On the 0-2 pitch to the Cardinals David Freese, he ripped a double. Catcher Yadier Molina followed with an RBI double to tie the game at 1-1. That was the end of the night for Hamels (eight innings, eight hits, one run, and eight strikeouts), who was outdueling the Cardinals Adam Wainwright (eight innings, four hits, one run, and six strikeouts). Brad Lidge came in with a runner in scoring position and no outs, but he closed out the inning to keep the game tied.

In the bottom of the tenth, Phillies catcher Carlos “Chooch” Ruiz (who had driven in the Phillies lone run up to that point) launched a pitch from reliever Blake Hawksworth into the left field seats for a walk-off homerun. Ruiz was pied in the face twice by Shane Victorino and Greg Dobbs following the game.

The Boston Red Sox have rebounded nicely from being swept by the Baltimore Orioles. In the first two games back at Fenway Park against the equally struggling LA Angels, the Red Sox pitching and offense have come together. Just like on Monday night, the Red Sox received good pitching from a struggling starter (this time Jon Lester).

Lester allowed one run on five hits in eight innings of work. However it was not until the bottom of the eighth that the Red Sox got the offense going. With Angels starter Ervin Santana done after seven innings (one run on seven hits with seven strikeouts), the Red Sox got to reliever Kevin Jepsen for four runs and Jonathon Papelbon came in for a perfect ninth to save the game. The four-run inning was capped by Jeremy Hermida’s three-run double.

The Milwaukee Brewers have been inconsistent so far in 2010. They have shown that they have the ability to put a lot of runs on the board in one inning. Last night was no different. In LA and visiting the Dodgers and young ace Clayton Kershaw, the Brewers scored nine runs in the second inning.

Prince Fielder hit a two-run homerun and Greg Zaun hit a two-run homerun off of reliever Ramon Ortiz in the same inning. Pitching has been a concern for the Dodgers all season though they did get four solid innings out of the knuckleballer Charlie Haeger, who was in the starting rotation a week ago. The Brewers held on for an 11-6 win.

Tim Lincecum of the SF Giants was starting Tuesday night in Florida against the free-swinging Marlins. Lincecum was cruising along until the sixth inning when Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez hit a three-run homerun to tie the game at 3-3. Lincecum lasted seven innings and allowed three runs on five hits while striking out 13 (a season-high).

Anibal Sanchez for the Marlins was just as solid as he allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits in six innings. In the top of the eighth, the Giants scored two runs but in the bottom of the inning, Dan Uggla hit a three-run homerun off of Sergio Romo to give the Marlins their first lead. However with two outs in the ninth, Aaron Rowand homered off of closer Leo Nunez to tie the game at 6-6 and send it into extra innings.

In the top of the 12th, the Giants broke through for three runs against Burke Badenhop (who was entering his third inning of work out of the bullpen), capped by Aubrey Huff’s two-run single.

In Houston, Astros ace Roy Oswalt again pitched well, but received nothing but a loss. Oswalt dropped to 2-4 but lowered his ERA to 2.48. The Astros lost to the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks 1-0, behind great starting pitching from Ian Kennedy. The lone run was scored on a solo homerun hit by Justin Upton in the third inning. Oswalt completely shut down the powerful Diamondbacks offense but received zero run support.

Tags:

Adam Wainwright, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Cole Hamels, Ervin Santana, Jason Heyward, Livan Hernandez, Miguel Batista, St. Louis Cardinals

In Atlanta, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Braves rookie outfielder Jason Heyward stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. Heyward, facing left-handed Colorado Rockies closer Franklin Morales, ripped a 98 mph fastball for a two-run single for a walk-off victory.

Heyward continues to lead all rookies in RBIs and is second in the National League in RBIs. He also is 8-for-11 (.727) with runners in scoring position. He is the youngest player with a walk-off since 2003 (the Florida Marlins’ Miguel Cabrera).

The Philadelphia Phillies finally received great pitching from Cole Hamels, but for the second straight day, the offense was virtually nonexistent. The Marlins received a solo homerun from Dan Uggla in the second inning and an RBI double by Uggla in the ninth to win the game 2-0. Hamels went into the ninth and struck out eight. Marlins starter Nate Robertson allowed just four hits in his 6.1 shutout innings. They took the series from the Phillies as slugger Ryan Howard has yet to hit a homerun in 2010 at Citizens Bank Park.

It was all Tampa Bay in Boston. Starter Matt Garza went eight shutout innings for the Rays (his third straight eight inning start) with five strikeouts. The Rays hit two two-run homeruns off Red Sox starter Jon Lester (Carlos Pena and BJ Upton). The Rays won 7-1 and have won six straight on the road.

The Pittsburgh Pirates swept the visiting Cincinnati Reds with two walk-offs on Friday and Saturday and a 5-3 win on Sunday. A five-run fourth sealed it for the Pirates, which was capped by a three-run double from catcher Jason Jaramillo. Paul Maholm of the Pirates went 6.2 innings while allowing two runs on four hits (and he struck out five). Despite winning seven of their last twelve, the Pirates starting pitchers have the worst ERA in baseball.

The Milwaukee Brewers scored a record 10 runs in the first inning against the Washington Nationals. Nationals starter Jason Marquis did not record an out as he gave up four hits, walked one, and hit two while giving up seven runs. Miguel Batista came in and gave up three more runs (capped by Craig Counsell’s grand slam), though he settled down in the next four innings. The Nationals bullpen allowed just one run the rest of the game, but the offense came up short, losing 11-7 (as they out-hit the Brewers 16-11).

The NY Mets and St. Louis Cardinals needed long performances from their starting pitchers due to the 20 inning affair the day/night before. The Mets John Maine struggled, throwing 115 pitches in five innings. The Cardinals got what they needed out of their second ace Adam Wainwright.

Wainwright struggled in the second inning (when he allowed three runs) but he gave up just one hit after that. The Cardinals had runners on base in just about every inning (they scored three runs in the fifth on a Colby Rasmus homerun), but it was not until the eighth that they finally broke through on a go-ahead two-run homerun from Ryan Ludwick. Wainwright cruised to the complete game 5-3 win.

Tags:

Adam Wainwright, Cole Hamels, Franklin Morales, Jason Heyward, Matt Garza, Nate Robertson, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay

Monday was another day full of home openers. In Minnesota, Kirby Puckett Jr. was the first fan admitted inside Target Field for the official opening of the ballpark Monday afternoon. He and his mother unveiled the Kirby Puckett statue on Target Plaza just outside one of the gates prior to entering the ballpark. He also represented the family for on-field festivities with Rod Carew, Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva, and Kent Hrbek. Marco Scutaro of the Boston Red Sox had the first official hit at Target Field off of Twins starter Carl Pavano. However, Twins leadoff hitter Denard Span scored the first run. Jason Kubel hit the first homerun and Joe Mauer collected three hits for the Twins. The Twins beat the Red Sox 5-2 as Jon Rauch collected his fifth save.

In Chicago, the Cubs opened Wrigley Field (which had $10 million done in renovations). Many of the renovations were the new player’s lounge and maybe that helped. The Cubs blasted three homeruns (a three-run blast from Xavier Nady and two-run blasts from Jeff Baker and Aramis Ramirez) to win the opener 9-5 over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers.

Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel once again raised the championship flag in the center field stands. The Phillies players also filed in from the stands onto the field just like last year and were led by Jamie Moyer and Roy Halladay. Phillies starter Cole Hamels struggled into the sixth (he allowed a two-run double to opposing pitcher Jason Marquis) but was helped out by the Phillies offense. The Phillies had a five-run 5^th inning that chased the Nationals’ Marquis, which was capped by a Chase Utley two-run homerun. The Phillies bullpen came up strong going 3.1 scoreless innings.

The St. Louis Cardinals opened up Busch Stadium with the usual Clydesdales taking part in the pre-game festivities. Albert Pujols quickly brought the fireworks against the winless Houston Astros. Pujols had an RBI single in the first and blasted a curveball into the left field seats for a three-run homerun in the third. Pujols’ performance backed the dominance of starter Adam Wainwright, who went eight shutout innings while allowing six hits and he struck out seven.

In Seattle, the Mariners had the Big Unit (Randy Johnson) throw out the first pitch before their home opener against the Oakland A’s. However the Mariners were dominated by A’s starter Justin Duchscherer, who won his first game since 2008. The Mariners mustered just two hits in the game to lose 4-0.

In San Diego, the worst offensive team in baseball (the Padres) took out its week’s worth of struggles on Jair Jurrjens and Jo-Jo Reyes of the Atlanta Braves. The Padres scored 17 runs (10 in the fourth) on 19 hits to back San Diego native Kevin Correia.

In Toronto, Blue Jays starter Brian Tallet expected the home crowd to be electric due to the Blue Jays record coming into their home opener (5-1). However the hometown fans saw the visiting Chicago White Sox tie the game in the ninth inning on a Mark Teahen homerun off of Jason Frasor (who blew his second save) and win it in the top of the 11^th on Teahen’s RBI triple.

In Florida (where the fans did not come out for their home opener with just a little over 10,000), the Cincinnati Reds won the game in the top of the 10^th on an RBI single from third baseman Scott Rolen, who also belted two homeruns in the game. The Marlins had their chance in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded off of Reds reliever Nick Masset but Cody Ross grounded out and sent the game into extra innings.

Tags:

Adam Wainwright, Albert Pujols, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Brian Tallet, Charlie Manuel, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cole Hamels, Denard Span, Florida Marlins, Houston Astros, Jason Frasor, Jason Kubel, Jason Marquis, Jon Rauch, Justin Duchscherer, Kevin Correia, Kirby Puckett, Marco Scutaro, Mark Teahen, Minnesota Twins, Oakland A's, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, Scott Rolen, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Target Field, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals, Wrigley Field

The Philadelphia Phillies rotation has been stellar so far this spring. They have the best spring training ERA (3.36). Everyone expected newly acquired Roy Halladay to be good. He is 1-0 with a 0.90 ERA in two starts (10 innings). He has allowed six hits and one run while striking out 14 and walking two. His early morning routine (arriving around 5:30-6:00 am) has rubbed off on right-hander Kyle Kendrick, who is competing for the fifth starter’s spot. Kendrick now routinely arrives at camp before Halladay and the work has showed. In 3 games (9 innings), he has given up four hits while not allowing a run or a walk. He has also struck out two. It is hard to tell about Kendrick’s competition, veteran left-hander Jamie Moyer, because he has only pitched in “B” games. “B” games are at 10 am and usually minor leaguers play in them or a team’s regulars that need at-bats (there really are no rules). Moyer had pitched well (six scoreless innings in two games) until his last start when he faced the Toronto Blue Jays, who had about seven regulars in their “B” game lineup. He gave up five runs and eight hits in three innings. It is hard to judge the competition because Kendrick is facing a team’s regular starting lineup (he faced the NY Yankees twice and the Baltimore Orioles once), while Moyer is not.

Cole Hamels has rebounded so far from 2009. He admitted that he did not do much to get ready for the 2009 season (besides make all of those public appearances), but he has worked much harder coming into 2010. In three starts (10.2 innings), he has just a 1.69 ERA. He has allowed five hits (two homeruns) while walking three and striking out nine. The homeruns allowed is a concern because Citizens Bank Park is a homerun haven and he tends to give up the longball. After struggling last season, Hamels realized that he needed more than just a fastball and his excellent changeup. He needed to strengthen his curveball and he wanted to develop a cutter. Against the Detroit Tigers yesterday, he threw 54 pitches, 10 cutters (six for strikes) and 9 curveballs (five for strikes). He threw his changeup just eight times.

“You can plant a seed in a hitter’s mind and give him more to think about,” pitching coach Rich Dubee said. “Of course, everybody knows he has a fastball and changeup. Now, all of a sudden, you have to respect the curveball and respect the cutter.” Teammates and the coaches also see a different Hamels, one that is more focused.

JA Happ, coming off a stellar rookie season, has arrived in spring training treating it like last year-like he had to win a job. Happ has not disappointed. In two starts (6.1 innings), he has allowed just three hits and no runs. He walked two and struck out five.

Joe Blanton struggled in his first spring training game, but has settled in since. He pitched today against the Yankees giving up two runs in five innings. Prior to today’s start, he was 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in six innings. He had allowed eight hits while striking out two.

If the Phillies rotation continues their dominance into the regular season, they will be on top of the National League East for the entire season.

Tags:

Cole Hamels, JA Happ, Jamie Moyer, Joe Blanton, Kyle Kendrick, National League East, Philadelphia Phillies, Roy Halladay

Coming off their first World Series title in 20 years, the Philadelphia Phillies entered 2009 with virtually the same team as in 2008 (except for the addition of Raul Ibanez in left field). However getting to the World Series was a lot tougher in 2009. Injuries decimated the bullpen as everyone except setup man Ryan Madson spent time on the DL and Madson was hardly lights out (5-5 with a 3.26 ERA in 79 games and converted 10 of 16 saves). No one expected closer Brad Lidge to be perfect again, but he was hardly automatic in 2009 as he blew 11 saves in 42 opportunities. Lefty JC Romero missed the first 50 games due to a performance-enhancing drug suspension, but returned and injured his elbow. It seemed like every week someone was going on the DL and a new body was being called up from the minors.

Ace Cole Hamels was hardly an ace and was inconsistent all season (10-11 with a 4.32 ERA in 32 starts with 24 homeruns allowed and more hits than innings pitched). A slimmer Brett Myers hurt his hip and missed a portion of the season. Joe Blanton had his typical average first half (6-4 with a 4.44 ERA with 19 homeruns allowed) and good second half (6-4 with a 3.62 ERA and 11 homeruns allowed). Chan Ho Park struggled in the starting role (but thrived as a reliever), opening the door for lefty JA Happ’s outstanding rookie season (12-4 with a 2.93 ERA in 23 starts). The struggles in the rotation led to the acquisition of CY Young winner Cliff Lee from the Cleveland Indians (and outfielder Ben Francisco), though the Phillies were linked to Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay (but the price seemed to be too high). Lee dominated in his time with the Phillies, even into the playoffs (7-4 with a 3.39 ERA in 12 starts and 10 BB/ 74 K but in the playoffs, Lee was 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in 5 starts with 2 complete games and 6 BB/ 33 K). They also added free agent veteran Pedro Martinez, who also added a boost to the rotation (5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in 9 starts)

The offense was typical for the Phillies, even with leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins’ lackluster season. Centerfielder Shane Victorino and rightfielder Jayson Werth had career years. First baseman Ryan Howard sizzled again when the summer heated up (.305 with 23 homeruns and 74 RBIs in the second half).

The 2009 Phillies made it back to the World Series, the first time since the 1995-1996 Atlanta Braves. Unfortunately the offense sputtered and the pitching just could not hold down the NY Yankees. Heading into the offseason, the Phillies had some holes to fill and question marks that needed to be answered. Members of the World Champion team that had major supporting roles were free agents like Matt Stairs, Eric Bruntlett, Myers, and Scott Eyre. Lidge, Romero, Ibanez, and Jamie Moyer had offseason surgery, with Lidge and Romero questionable for spring training and Moyer having complications. With a payroll set to bulge due to arbitration cases for Victorino, Blanton, and catcher Carlos Ruiz, GM Ruben Amaro was hoping to stay within a set amount. Here’s the Phillies wish list:

1. 

   Placido Polanco signing

   A third baseman: Despite his solid season, Pedro Feliz was a free agent and not expected to be re-signed due to his struggles in the playoffs (.167 in 54 at-bats with just 4 RBIs and 11 Ks). Ruben Amaro quickly signed former Phillie Placido Polanco, who was coming off a Gold Glove season with the Detroit Tigers at second base. Polanco hasn’t played third since 2005 but is a hard working veteran who will be excellent batting in the 2 hole (where he is the game’s best) in front of Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, and Raul Ibanez.

2. A backup catcher: Starter Carlos Ruiz has been a postseason hero for the Phillies the last two years. Late in 2009, the Phillies cut ties with backup Chris Coste (a fan favorite) and added veteran Paul Bako. However with Bako a free agent, the Phillies decided to go after a local free agent. Brian Schneider, who spent the last two years with the NY Mets, signed on to backup Ruiz. Schneider has been known to be a great defensive catcher though he tends to struggle with the bat.
3. Bullpen help: This is a major need as there are quite a few question marks with the health of the arms returning. The biggest hole is to add a left-hander to complement JC Romero and management hoped to re-sign Scott Eyre, but both sides are far apart. The Phillies seem fine with going to young lefties Sergio Escalona and Antonio Bastardo (who was on the postseason roster but was rarely used) in 2010. Rumors have the Phillies signing a mystery reliever with Danys Baez and Mike MacDougal being the leading candidates.
4. Adding another starter: Despite Kyle Kendrick’s resurgence at the end of 2009, the Phillies are looking to add a starter to compete with Kendrick, veteran Jamie Moyer, and Drew Carpenter. However the Phillies made a blockbuster deal to land Roy Halladay (who they coveted in July) but traded away Cliff Lee and top prospect Kyle Drabek. So yes the Phillies added a workhorse in Halladay, but still may need another starter.

Tags:

Brad Lidge, Brian Schneider, Carlos Ruiz, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, JA Happ, Joe Blanton, Pedro Martinez, Philadelphia Phillies, Placido Polanco, Roy Halladay, Ryan Howard, Ryan Madson

Yankees 8, Phillies 5: Game 3 in Philly began just like it did in last year’s World Series, in a rain delay. The only difference this year was that it was warmer and the delay wasn’t as long (1hour and 20 minute delay and a new 9:17 start time). The Yankees Andy Pettitte looked rattled early on, needing 51 pitches to get through the first two innings. In the second inning, left-handed pitcher killer Jayson Werth blasted a solo homerun to left field near the MasterCard “Hit It Here” sign to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 1-0 lead. After loading the bases, Jimmy Rollins walked to force in a run and Shane Victorino (after swinging at two bad pitches) drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead. Pettitte ended the damage by striking out Chase Utley (for the second time) to end the inning. Utley’s postseason on-base streak ended at 27 games. Cole Hamels was cruising along like he did in the 2008 postseason until walking Mark Teixeira (though replays showed ball four was strike three) in the 4th inning, before giving up his first hit-a double turned homerun by replays to Alex Rodriguez (his first World Series hit). That cut the Phillies lead to 3-2. And now the 2009 version of Hamels was fully back, getting hit around in the 5th inning. After not throwing a curveball all night, he threw three straight to the struggling Nick Swisher with the third being hit for a double. After getting Melky Cabrera to strike out on a changeup, Hamels hung another curveball to the pitcher Pettitte, who flared it into centerfield for an RBI single. Derek Jeter followed with another flare to center before Johnny Damon ripped a 2-run double to give the Yankees a 5-3 lead. After walking Teixeira again, manager Charlie Manuel came out to remove Hamels, who left the game to boos from the Philly fans. It wasn’t much better with the Phillies bullpen. Each reliever (JA Happ, Chad Durbin, and Brett Myers) gave up a single run in their inning of work until Ryan Madson worked a scoreless ninth.

Phillies pitching wasted an offensive effort from Werth, who belted another homerun off of Pettitte in the 6th, this time hitting the Geico sign, which was about 20 feet from the MasterCard sign. If he had of hit it, MasterCard would have donated $1 million to the Stand Up To Cancer initiative. The theme for the World Series so far for the Phillies has been a lack of offense from anyone other than Werth and catcher Carlos Ruiz. Pedro Felix got his first hit in Game 3. Ryan Howard had struck out 6 straight times before finally making contact (though also making an out). The top four batters in the Phillies order is hitting .200 or below, not giving Werth a chance to drive anyone in. The Yankees however, showed no signs of needing the designated hitter in Game 3, even getting a pinch-hit homerun from their DH, Hideki Matsui, in the 8th inning. Sure the Yankees aren’t tearing the cover off of the baseball, but they are getting clutch hits and have 5 homeruns in the three games. The Yankees are also getting excellent starting pitching, with Pettitte winning his ML record 17th postseason game. The Yankees hope to continue the trend of great starting pitching when they send ace CC Sabathia to the mound in Game 4 on short rest.

Rollins predicted that the World Series would actually feel like a World Series when the games moved to Philadelphia. Philly fans are known to be passionate, yet hostile to opposing teams and their fans. I was disappointed in the Phillies fans last night. Sure, they were into the game early on and into each of Werth’s blasts. But while watching on TV, I should not have been able to hear Yankee chants and cheers over the Phillies fans. Late in the game, I could hear “Let’s go Yankees!” and “Hip-hip Jorge!” when Posada was batting. And the Phillies fans sat in silence, allowing the hated Yankees to hear support. Not what I had expected, especially when they are considered to be fans that hang onto every moment and cheer for every hit and opposing teams’ hitters’ strikeouts.

Tags:

Andy Pettitte, Cole Hamels, Hideki Matsui, Jayson Werth, Nick Swisher, Phillies, World Series Game 3, Yankees

Another World Series in Philadelphia Phillies means rain in the forecast. Unlike last year, at least the temperatures are warm and not freezing. Game 3 was still set to begin on-time, despite the darkening clouds and rain incoming on the radar. As many of the Phillies players’ stated, the real World Series begins now, meaning the Philly fans are going to be electric, like nothing the Yankees have ever seen. Game 3 pits the Yankees Andy Pettitte against the Phillies Cole Hamels. Pettitte is hoping to increase his all-time postseason wins to 17, which would continue to put him in first place in that category. However, Pettitte isn’t averaging more than seven innings in a postseason start, so that means manager Joe Girardi will need to use more than closer Mariano Rivera out of the bullpen. It will be interesting to see how Pettitte approaches the Phillies lineup with the two switch-hitters at the top (Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino) and the lefties after them (Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Raul Ibanez). I suspect Howard will not see many fastballs. Hamels was last year’s NLCS and World Series MVP, though in 2009, he has not been very consistent. The Phillies need Hamels to pitch like he did in 2008 for them to be successful in Game 3. Hamels will need to keep the Yankees hitters adjusting and off-balance all night to be successful. The key to this game will be Pettitte versus the Phillies running attack and the Phillies Jayson Werth. Werth has one of the best batting averages against left-handed pitching over the last two years.

The Phillies have announced their Game 4 starter as Joe Blanton and the Yankees are leaning towards the three-man rotation, meaning Game 1 starter CC Sabathia would pitch in Game 4. Blanton had been the Phillies most consistent starter throughout the 2009 season. Blanton pitched mostly out of the bullpen so far this postseason, though he made the Game 4 start in the NLCS against the Dodgers. Many of the Yankee hitters are familiar with Blanton from his days with the Oakland A’s. Sabathia was good in his first start of the World Series, but was out-pitched by his former teammate. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts his game plan and how the Phillies hitters adjust to him. A key to Game 4 is how long Blanton goes in the game. It could be a game that is determined by the bullpens. Another key will be Carlos Ruiz. It will be Blanton’s first go-round against the Yankees in the playoffs and he’ll need to rely on Ruiz. Ruiz will also need to be big at the plate to turn the lineup over to the speed and power.

Game 5, and the final World Series game in Philly, has the Phillies sending Game 1 starter Cliff Lee probably up against Yankees Game 2 starter AJ Burnett. Will Burnett be just as dominant as he was in Game 2 or will his wild side re-emerge? The Phillies hitters need to adjust and jump on the fastball early in the count. How will the Yankees hitters react to seeing Lee a second time? A key will be Yankees catcher Jose Molina. He will need to keep Burnett’s emotions in check and to keep everything in the dirt in front of him. Molina will also need to produce at the plate or he may be the first move Girardi makes in terms of pinch-hitting. However, Girardi could go with Jorge Posada as the catcher to get more offense, but it would be sacrificing defense and stability with Burnett.

It will be interesting to see if Girardi gets Hideki Matsui some playing time in the outfield with the 3 games in Philly. He has been one of the Yankees best hitters of late (3-for-6 in the World Series so far) and I find it hard to believe that Girardi would only get him 3 at-bats as a pinch-hitter in the 3 games. We will find out how good of a manager Girardi really is as he’ll have to manage pinch-hitters and game situations, along with double-switches.

Tags:

AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Carlos Ruiz, CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Hideki Matsui, Jayson Werth, Joe Blanton, Joe Girardi, Jose Molina, Phillies, World Series, Yankees

The 2009 World Series is truly a matchup of the two best teams in baseball. There is trash-talking, with each city’s media taking things to the extreme and trying to get the players involved. One NY newspaper depicted Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino in a cheerleading skirt and called the Phillies the “Frillies”. Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins predicted the Phillies would win in 5 games. Both teams expect hostile crowds while on the road and Rollins loves to silence opposing teams’ home crowds. Plus he used to being hated in NY.

Both team’s ballparks are susceptible to the homerun as they were ranked in the top two in homeruns in Major League Baseball. Both team’s lineups are the two most-prolific homerun-hitting clubs in MLB. And as Nike stated in a 90’s ad, “chicks dig the long ball”. It’s not surprising that both teams sometimes live and die by the long ball. Both teams looked beatable in their respective league championship series, but both overcame their bullpen obstacles to win and advance. Both teams are led by their RBI machines: Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees and Ryan Howard of the Phillies. A-Rod has stripped the label of “postseason choke artist” and become the Yankees best postseason offensive threat. This will be A-Rod’s first World Series appearance. Howard has continued his usual late season hot streak into the postseason, earning NLCS MVP. Both tied the MLB postseason record for consecutive games with an RBI. It will be interesting to see how the managers elect to pitch to these two sluggers.

Both teams have a few questions marks in their lineups. The Phillies Chase Utley has a 25 straight postseason games of reaching base streak, which ties a ML record. Though he has been on base, he really has not been hitting (.211 against the Dodgers). The Phillies need more than just Victorino, Howard, and catcher Carlos Ruiz to produce. Rollins will need to be the fire-starter and put pressure on the pitchers and Jorge Posada behind the plate for the Phillies to be successful. Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher of the Yankees have been struggling throughout this postseason and some have talked about benching Swisher. The Yankees are relying on Swisher becoming the clutch hitter he has been all season long and Tex to be the power-hitting, RBI machine he was all season.

Both teams have question marks in the bullpen. Ryan Madson, the setup man for the Phillies has been inconsistent all season and has mostly struggled this postseason. Closer Brad Lidge seems to have found his 2008 self. Chad Durbin has been lights-out coming in to get out of jams and if his sinker is working, double-play balls will be common. Everyone else is either hurting or coming back from an injury (Scott Eyre, Chan Ho Park, and Brett Myers) or inexperienced (Antonio Bastardo, Happ). Yes the Yankees have postseason sensation Mariano Rivera as their closer, but he has been far from dominant in the last year or so. Getting to Mo has been a challenge and manager Joe Girardi has been using him for more than an inning lately. I think that the young bullpen pitchers have struggled lately mainly due to overuse throughout the regular season. Look at box scores and some pitched almost every day (like Phil Coke and his 72 games). Alfredo Aceves ended up with 10 wins, mainly out of the bullpen. Dave Robertson was in the top 5 in the AL in strikeouts per nine innings (12.98) and has been dominant. Phil Hughes has been struggling though he has been the 8th inning setup man for most of the second-half. Since Girardi seems to have lost some confidence in his bullpen, Brian Bruney has been added to the roster and could regain his role of setup man if he dominates.

The pitching staffs are evenly matched. Both have seasoned playoff veterans in Andy Pettitte and Pedro Martinez. Both managers have decisions to make regarding their Game 4 starters.

Game 1: Cliff Lee @ CC Sabathia
This may be the best pitching matchup that the World Series has had in a long time. They are the last two American League CY Young award winners. They were teammates with the Cleveland Indians up until last July. Lee and his Indians opened up new Yankee Stadium this year against Sabathia and his Yankees, winning 10-2. Sabathia has pitched better than ever in this year’s postseason, rather than in year’s past and is earning every penny the Yankees are paying him. Lee has made other teams look silly for not pulling the trigger and adding him to their pitching staff. Lee has been dominant in his first experience in the postseason.

Game 2: Pedro Martinez @ AJ Burnett
Pedro is sure to hear “who’s your daddy?” throughout this game at Yankee Stadium. He was not well-liked in his Red Sox/Mets days when playing at Yankee Stadium, so it should be no different being with the Phillies. Pedro dominated the Dodgers in his lone playoff game this season for the Phillies (though the bullpen blew his win), and manager Charlie Manuel is hoping for Pedro’s continued playoff success. Burnett is known to be wild but can keep the damage to a minimum if he keeps his emotions in check. Burnett got lit up by the Phillies in back in May, but that was a long time ago. Manager Joe Girardi is hoping for an ALCS Game 2 type outing (6.1 IP, 2 R, 2BB, 1 HBP) from Burnett rather than ALCS Game 5 types outing (6+ IP, 8 H, 6 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP).

Game 3: Cole Hamels vs. Andy Pettitte

Pettitte is the seasoned playoff veteran and he continued his playoff dominance against the LA Angels in the ALCS, winning the deciding Game 6. That win was Pettitte’s 16th career postseason victory. Hamels was last year’s NLCS & World Series MVP. He has not been close to the same pitcher so far this year. The Phillies will need the 2009 version of Hamels to regain his 2008 form.

Game 4: Joe Blanton/JA Happ vs. Sabathia/Chad Gaudin/Joba Chamberlain
This is where the debate begins. Happ made his first start of 2009 at new Yankee Stadium back in May and dominated (though Brad Lidge blew the game). Blanton has been the most consistent starter for the Phillies and the backbone of the rotation. Both will be available out of the bullpen for the first two games and whoever pitched the least will probably get the Game 4 nod. Girardi has used the 3 –man rotation throughout this year’s playoffs, though Sabathia has been the only one to pitch on short rest. With only one guaranteed off-day (2 total) and inclement weather looming, can Girardi afford a 3-man rotation? Can all 3 pitch on 3 days rest? Gaudin only made one playoff appearance so far this postseason (1 inning) and Chamberlain has struggled out of the bullpen lately. Neither is stretched out for a long starting stint. Depending on the first three games of the series may dictate how Girardi chooses the Game 4 & 5 starters.

The Phillies won the season series in NY 2-1, though Lidge was not lights-out (2 blown saves and a loss). The Yankees are trying for their 27th World Series title (these reason Girardi wears number 27 on his jersey) and the Phillies are trying for their 2nd consecutive. Both teams have played loose throughout the postseason. On paper, the Yankees would be the choice to win, but the Dodgers on paper looked like the team to be in the World Series. It’s time to throw out all the stats and watch the two teams play ball. It should be exciting.

Tags:

AJ Burnett, Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, Brad Lidge, Brian Bruney, CC Sabathia, Chad Durbin, Chase Utley, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Dave Robertson, JA Happ, Jimmy Rollins, Joba Chamberlain, Joe Blanton, Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, NY Yankees, Pedro Martinez, Phil Hughes, Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan Howard, Ryan Madson, Shane Victorino, World Series

Phillies 10, Dodgers 4: Jimmy Rollins had stated in years past that the Phillies were the team to beat. After winning the 2008 World Series, they would BE the team to beat. Now that they are again the National League Champions for the second consecutive season and are defending their World Series title, they are still the team to beat. Phillies starter Cole Hamels quickly got through the first two hitters of the game but Andre Ethier fouled pitches off until he got the pitch he liked, which he crushed into the right field seats. Manny Ramirez followed with a base hit on the next pitch, but Hamels got Matt Kemp to strike out (Kemp struck out in 16 of his 34 2009 postseason at-bats) to end the first inning. The Phillies, or should I say Jayson Werth jumped on Dodgers starter Vicente Padilla after 2 walks, and Werth crushed a 3-2 pitch (after fouling off several pitches) into about the same place Ethier’s homerun landed in the right field seats. Looking for a shutdown inning from Hamels, yet James Loney had other things in mind and crushed a pitch deep into the right field seats to cut the Phillies lead to 3-2. The ball was sailing out to right field throughout the game and early on the game looked to be a slugfest. Pedro Feliz jumped on the first pitch of the 2nd inning, depositing yet another homerun into the right field seats, increasing the Phillies lead to 4-2. The Dodgers were forced to bring in 8th inning lefty George Sherrill to stop the bleeding in the 4th inning with the bases loaded. He hit Shane Victorino, forcing in the 6th run, but he came back to strike out Chase Utley to end the inning. Dodgers pinch-hitter Orlando “the O-Dog” Hudson, hit a sole homerun to left to cut the lead to 6-3. After a double by Rafael Furcal, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel gave the quick hook to Hamels and brought in rookie JA Happ. Ronnie Belliard walked, but Happ got Ethier to fly out (just got under it) on the first pitch. In came Chad Durbin to face Manny Ramirez with 2 on and 2 outs. Manny weakly grounded out to Durbin (2-for-12 against Durbin in his career) to end the inning. The Phillies continued to add on against Clayton Kershaw as Victorino absolutely crushed a 2-run homerun to left to increase the lead to 8-3. Against Phillies relievers Chan Ho Park and Ryan Madson, the Dodgers loaded the bases with one out and a run in (8-4). However Madson bared down and got Loney to pop out in foul territory, Russell Martin to strikeout, and Casey Blake to ground out to end the inning without allowing another run. As Phillies closer Brad Lidge came in from the bullpen, the Phillies crowd of over 46,000 was on their feet, waving their white rally towels, and going nuts.

The NLCS MVP went to Ryan Howard, who batted .333, with 2 homeruns, and 8 RBIs. The Phillies celebrated with their teammates, family, friends, and the fans following their manhandling of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They now await the winner of the ALCS between the LA Angels and the NY Yankees.

Tags:

Andre Ethier, Brad Lidge, Chad Durbin, Chan Ho Park, Cole Hamels, JA Happ, James Loney, Jayson Werth, Jimmy Rollins, LA Dodgers, Manny Ramirez, NL Champions, Orlando Hudson, Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan Howard, Ryan Madson, Shane Victorino, Vicente Padilla