Dice K

The game of the day on Saturday was in Philadelphia where the Phillies were taking on the Boston Red Sox. Dice-K Matsuzaka was masterful in his outing. Early on he looked like his typical self, by walking batters. He accumulated three walks through four innings but he settled in to not walk another batter until the eighth inning.

Dice-K also did not allow a hit until the eighth inning. The Red Sox played great defense behind him, which is necessary to pitch a no-hitter. Dice-K beat out the speedy Shane Victorino to the first base bag after a ground ball to David Ortiz in the sixth inning. To end the seventh, the Phillies Jayson Werth lined a rocket back up the middle that Dice-K snagged for the final out.

In the eighth and with Raul Ibanez on first base (he walked), catcher Carlos Ruiz lined a shot towards left field that Red Sox third baseman Adrian Beltre dove to catch and threw Ibanez out at first base for the double-play.

However five pitches later, the Phillies Juan Castro blooped a single over the outstretched arm of shortstop Marco Scutaro into left field. The no-hitter was over, but Dice-K finished off the Phillies by getting pinch-hitter Ross Gload to fly out to right field to end the eighth inning (and end Dice-K’s outing). As he walked off the field at the end of the inning, the sold-out crowd in Philadelphia gave Dice-K a standing ovation.

The Red Sox offense erupted in the fifth inning with two outs against Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick. With a 1-0 lead, the Red Sox strung together three straight hits (two doubles by Ortiz and Beltre) to score four runs and chase Kendrick from the game. Left-hander Antonio Bastardo came in to strike out Jeremy Hermida to end the fifth and struck out two more in the sixth.

Nyjer Morgan throws glove

There was a strange play in Washington. Adam Jones of the Baltimore Orioles hit a deep fly ball to center field that the Nationals Nyjer Morgan jumped at the wall to catch. He thought the ball went over the fence and threw his glove to the ground in frustration. However the ball fell into the field of play and Matt Wieters (who was on base) and Jones were running the bases.

Outfielder Josh Willingham came over to pick up the ball and throw it in, but it was too late. Wieters and Jones scored for an inside-the-park homerun. This strange play did not prove costly as the Nationals beat the Orioles 7-6.

The Bay Area series pitted SF Giants starter Matt Cain against Oakland A’s starter Gio Gonzalez. Cain was good in his complete game effort but Gonzalez was just a bit better. Cain allowed one run (in the third inning) on five hits. Gonzalez pitched eight scoreless innings (a career-high) and allowed just two hits. He also retired 20 in a row to end his outing.

The run Cain allowed was unearned as first baseman Aubrey Huff and second baseman Freddy Sanchez both bobbled the ball on the same play. The batter later scored in the inning on a sacrifice fly.

The Milwaukee Brewers have struggled this season with their pitching staff. Saturday was no different against the Twins. After Friday night’s one out effort from starter Dave Bush, the Brewers were hoping for more from ace Yovani Gallardo. Unfortunately he allowed four runs in the first inning, though he settled in to not allow another run.

The Twins seemed to be in control until the ninth inning. They held a 6-2 lead but the bullpen imploded. Closer Jon Rauch was called on with the bases loaded and nobody out. He proceeded to give up a two-run double by Rickie Weeks and a two-run single by Carlos Gomez. After getting Ryan Braun to hit into a double-play, he walked Prince Fielder and Casey McGehee delivered an RBI double to give the Brewers a 7-6 lead before Rauch could record the final out.

The Twins would not go down without a fight. New closer Carlos Villanueva came on and gave up a leadoff double to Justin Morneau. After a Michael Cuddyer single put runners at first and third, Jason Kubel struck out but Delmon Young delivered an RBI ground-rule double to tie the game. The Twins had their chance to win it with the bases loaded and just one out but Nick Punto struck out and Denard Span flied out to send the game into extra innings.

The game stayed tied until the 12th and with Sunday’s starting pitcher for the Brewers Manny Parra on the mound for his second inning of work, Kubel lofted a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to win the game 8-7.

Tags:

Aubrey Huff, Baltimore Orioles, Carlos Ruiz, Dice-K Matsuzaka, Gio Gonzalez, Jayson Werth, Jeremy Hermida, Kyle Kendrick, Matt Wieter, Nyjer Morgan, Shane Victorino, Yovani Gallardo

The big news on Friday was the request by Houston Astros ace Roy Oswalt to be traded. Oswalt was coming off a loss on Thursday night where the offense could not give him run support (he receives the least amount of run support in the National League). The Astros are in last place in the National League Central and have the worst record in the NL.

Oswalt has spent his entire 10-year career with the Astros, compiling 139 wins and a 3.21 career ERA. This season, he is 2-6 with a 2.66 ERA and all nine of his starts are quality starts though he has received just four runs total in his six losses (39 innings). The frustration in Houston seems to be boiling over though Astros management has not made any activity yet.

Brett Myers

The Astros won a hard fought battle on Friday night while playing host to the best team in baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays. Starter Brett Myers, who has been a workhorse since coming over from Philadelphia, pitched out of trouble after allowing an unearned run in the first inning. He lasted seven innings and allowed six hits while striking out seven. The six hits he allowed came from Ben Zobrist and Reid Brignac. Rays starter Matt Garza got the hard-luck loss as he pitched a complete game and allowed two runs on six hits.

On Friday night, a few teams lost key players. The Philadelphia Phillies, who just got All-Star shortstop Jimmy Rollins back, may lose him again. Rollins re-aggravated his right calf in which he spent time on the DL already this season. He may have to deal with the injury for the rest of the season before it fully heals.

The Phillies still beat the visiting Boston Red Sox 5-1 after Phillies starter Cole Hamels allowed a solo homerun to Victor Martinez in the first inning. Hamels settled in to allow just two more hits in seven innings of work while striking out eight. Red Sox starter John Lackey was unimpressive as he lasted just five innings and allowed four runs on six hits while walking five. He allowed homeruns to Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth.

Brad Penny's grand slam

The St. Louis Cardinals lost starter Brad Penny to the DL after he launched a two out grand slam to give the Cardinals a 9-4 lead. He lasted just three innings. The Cardinals bullpen allowed just one run on three hits in six innings of relief. Felipe Lopez followed Penny’s grand slam with a homerun of his own.

LA Angels starter Joel Pineiro (the former Cardinals pitcher) lasted only three innings while allowing all nine runs. Trevor Bell of the Angels was impressive as he pitched three scoreless innings of relief and struck out four.

The Minnesota Twins became the next team to batter the Milwaukee Brewers pitching staff. The Twins jumped all over Brewers starter Dave Bush for seven runs in the first inning as he only recorded one out. The Twins were not done. They scored five runs off of reliever Jeff Suppan, one run off Claudio Vargas, and two runs off Mitch Stetter to account for their 15 runs.

The Twins did not hit a homerun in the game. Denard Span, Orlando Hudson, Justin Morneau, and Delmon Young all accumulated three hits a piece. Shockingly, Twins All-Star catcher Joe Mauer did not collect a hit (though he walked twice and scored two runs). Twins starter Nick Blackburn was solid, with his only blemish being a three-run homerun by former Twin Carlos Gomez in the eighth inning.

Javier Vazquez of the NY Yankees was dominant in the Subway Series rematch. He went six innings and allowed just one hit but had to leave after hurting his finger on a bunt attempt. Hisanori Takahashi was just as dominant in his spot start for the NY Mets. He left after six innings without allowing a run on five hits.

Kevin Russo's two-run double

His bullpen though failed him. With runners at second and third in the seventh inning, Yankees rookie Kevin Russo ripped a two-run double to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. It was Russo’s first extra-base hit of his career and first RBIs (he had collected his first hit in the third inning).

Tags:

Ben Zobrist, Brad Penny, Brett Myers, Jayson Werth, Jeff Suppan, Kevin Russo, Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, Roy Oswalt, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays

Jamie Moyer Pitches

The old man delivered for the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night. Veteran 47-year old left-hander Jamie Moyer became the oldest pitcher ever in baseball to hold an opponent scoreless in a complete game.

He did that against the Atlanta Braves as he gave up just two hits (two leadoff singles to Troy Glaus). Moyer did not walk a batter and struck out five. He only threw 105 pitches (capped by his three pitch second inning). The Phillies offense was boasted by another three-run homerun from Jayson Werth.

The quotes after the game from both teams’ players regarding Moyer’s outing were a bit comical. “The guy is 87 years old and he’s still pitching for a reason,” Braves third baseman Chipper Jones said. “That’s about as well-pitched of a game by a guy who throws 80 mph that I’ve ever seen.” Phillies ace Roy Halladay does not expect to be throwing shutouts at 47; he expects to be “fishing”.

Starlin Castro homers

At the other end of the spectrum, the Chicago Cubs promoted top prospect Starlin Castro to the big leagues on Friday. In the shortstop’s first Major League at-bat, he hit a three-run homerun off of Cincinnati Reds starter Homer Bailey in the second inning. The rookie also collected a bases-clearing triple in his second at-bat. Castro set the record for most RBIs (six) in a debut.

Castro became the third player this season to homer in his first at-bat (following Jason Heyward and Luke Hughes). The 20-year old helped power the Cubs to a 14-7 victory over the Reds. Mike Fontenot also contributed a pinch-hit grand slam for the Cubs in the eighth.

There was another no-hitter watch last night, this time coming in Seattle as LA Angels ace Jered Weaver outdueled Mariners ace Felix Hernandez. Weaver carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and with two outs, gave up his first hit (a Ken Griffey Jr single to right field). Weaver walked three and gave up two hits into the eighth inning He also struck out eight.

The Angels offense came alive against one of the game’s best pitchers. King Felix lasted just 3.1 innings (his shortest outing since 2007) while allowing eight runs on five hits and four walks. In the fourth inning, the Angels hit three homeruns, capped by Ryan Budde’s first career homerun.
Another start and yet another loss for KC Royals ace Zack Greinke.

CJ Wilson celebrates win

Greinke, who matched up against CJ Wilson and the Texas Rangers was victimized by Rangers slugger Vladimir Guerrero. Guerrero hit a solo homerun in the second inning and contributed a sacrifice fly in the third inning. Greinke allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits in seven innings. Wilson was dominant in his complete game effort.

He scattered five hits and allowed one run while striking out four. He improved to 3-1 and lowered his ERA to 1.51 while he has been matched up against every other team’s aces.

With the NY Mets carrying a 4-3 lead into the ninth inning, they called on closer Francisco Rodriguez to close out the game. With one out, SF Giants pinch-hitter John Bowker hit a solo homerun to tie the game at 4-4.

Rod Barajas walk-off

However the blown save would not last long, as Mets catcher Rod Barajas hit a walk-off two-run homerun with one out off of Giants reliever Sergio Romo. It was Barajas’ second homerun (and ninth of the season) of the game. Rookie first baseman Ike Davis also homered twice in the game.

Tags:

Atlanta Braves, Chipper Jones, CJ Wilson, Francisco Rodriguez, Jamie Moyer, Jayson Werth, Philadelphia Phillies, Rod Barajas, Roy Halladay, Starlin Castro, Texas Rangers

The San Diego Padres are now the hottest team in baseball. On Saturday night, the Padres again shut out the home team Cincinnati Reds for their eighth straight victory. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez hit a solo homerun in the first and right fielder Will Venable hit a two-run homerun in the sixth inning off of Reds starter Johnny Cueto.

Wade Leblanc

Third baseman Chase Headley contributed his eighth multi-hit game of the season. That was all the offense that Padres starter Wade LeBlanc needed. LeBlanc went six shutout innings and allowed just three hits while striking out three. He also picked two runners off of first base with two outs in back-to-back innings (the fourth and fifth). The Padres have been winning because of their pitching, which has a Major League best 2.73 ERA.

Jorge Cantu of the Florida Marlins had his hitting streak come to an end on Saturday night in the second game of their double-header at Coors Field. Against Aaron Cook of the Colorado Rockies, Cantu went 0-for-4 with an RBI to end his 21-game hitting streak. Cook was in command throughout the night, completing the game while allowing just one run on five hits as the Rockies won 8-1.

The Marlins won the first game of the double-header 4-1 behind the stellar pitching of Ricky Nolasco, who went eight innings and allowed one run on seven hits while striking out nine (with no walks).

The Chicago White Sox like to treat their fans to late inning fireworks. Friday night it was Andruw Jones providing the walk-off with a solo homerun. On Saturday there was great starting pitching from the White Sox Freddy Garcia (who went seven innings and allowed two runs on two hits) and Seattle Mariners Doug Fister (who went eight innings and allowed two runs on eight hits).

Alex Rios walk-off

In the top of the ninth off of White Sox closer Bobby Jenks, the Mariners scored two runs to take a 4-2 lead. However in the bottom of the ninth off of Mariners closer David Aardsma, Paul Konerko hit a solo homerun to cut the lead to 4-3. After a walk to Carlos Quentin with two outs, centerfielder Alex Rios blasted a two-run walk-off homerun.

In Tampa, there was a pitcher’s duel between the Rays Jeff Niemann and the Toronto Blue Jays Ricky Romero. Niemann went 6.2 innings and allowed three runs (a solo homerun to Lyle Overbay and a two-run homer to Adam Lind) on five hits while striking out eight. Romero went seven innings and allowed two runs (a John Jaso two-run homer) on six hits.Romero and the Blue Jays led 3-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth.

Unfortunately the Blue Jays bullpen could not hold the lead. Left-hander Scott Downs could not get an out while allowing three runs on two hits and a walk. Right-hander Casey Janssen came in and got just one out while giving up four runs (he also gave up two of Down’s runs) on two hits, a walk, and a hit batter.

Finally Jeremy Accardo came in to get the final two outs though he gave up a hit and two of Janssen’s runs. All-in-all the Rays scored seven runs in the inning for the 9-3 victory.

In Arizona, Diamondbacks second baseman Kelly Johnson continued his homerun barrage. On Friday night, he homered twice (off left-handed pitchers Cole Hamels and JC Romero) and he homered again on Saturday night (a two-run shot), this time against Philadelphia Phillies starter Nelson Figueroa to give him six on the season.

Jayson Werth Homers

This would be all the scoring the Diamondbacks would receive. The Phillies received solo homeruns from Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez against Diamondbacks starter Ian Kennedy (who went eight innings and allowed those two runs on just four hits while striking out four). In the top of the ninth, Werth came to the plate again and he homered to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead and closer Ryan Madson held on for the save.

Tags:

Adrian Gonzalez, Alex Rios, Chase Headley, Cincinnati Reds, David Aardsma, Jayson Werth, Johnny Cueto, Philadelphia Phillies, Ricky Nolasco, San Diego Padres, Wade LeBlanc

Phillies shake hands following the Game 5 victory

Phillies 8, Yankees 6: Jimmy Rollins’ prediction of the Philadelphia Phillies winning in five games will not come true, but at least the Phillies seem to be back in the series after being down 3 games to 1. As a baseball fan, I have been hoping for a seven-game series since the teams were set. It has the potential to be a battle to the very end.

However, Game 5 did not start out well for the Phillies or their ace starter Cliff Lee. The Yankees scored first in the top of the first, capped by an RBI double from Alex Rodriguez. The Phillies returned the favor in the bottom of the inning, capped by the 3-run homerun by Chase Utley with no one out. In this game, unlike in his Game 2 start, the wild AJ Burnett appeared early and often. In the third inning, Burnett walked both Utley and Ryan Howard, leading to an RBI single back up the middle by Jayson Werth and an RBI single from Raul Ibanez, giving the Phillies a 5-1 lead and ending Burnett’s night. So much for Burnett’s stellar history of pitching on short rest (4-0, with a 2.33 ERA).

Brett Gardner crashes into wall to make the catch

Dave Robertson came in to give the Yankees two shutout innings, followed by Alfredo Aceves. Werth ripped a pitch from Aceves to center into the quirky crevices of Citizens Bank Park. Werth was running as if he hit another HR because he crushed it, but centerfielder Brett Gardner made a great running catch while crashing into the wall. Aceves then gave the Yankees 2 shutout innings before handing the ball over to lefty Phil Coke. Coke however could not keep the Phillies offense off of the scoreboard (specifically the left-handed hitters). Utley homered again on a 3-2 pitch, tying Hall-of-Famer Reggie Jackson for the most homeruns in a single World Series with 5. Ibanez came up with 2 outs and blasted a homerun off a second deck billboard, increasing the Phillies lead to 8-2.

Ryan Madson reacts to saving Game 5

The Yankees finally chased Lee from the game on a 2-run double by A-Rod. Lee wasn’t his dominant self as he struggled with his command (3 walks), yet kept the Yankees from taking control of the game. Heading into the ninth, the Phillies held an 8-5 lead and manager Charlie Manuel handed the ball over to Ryan Madson, rather then closer Brad Lidge, to close out the game. No matter who closes out the games for the Phillies, it is a nail-biting experience for fans. Madson quickly got into trouble as Jorge Posada and pinch-hitter Hideki Matsui ripped him for hits putting runners at first and second with nobody out and the captain Derek Jeter stepped to the plate as the tying run. The moans and groans could again be heard at Citizens Bank Park. Jeter could not get the clutch hit, as he grounded into a double play, though Posada scored to make the game 8-6. After Damon got another hit (he reached base 4 times in the game), Madson bared down and struck out Mark Teixeira to end the game, sending the nervous Philly fans into a state of euphoria. There will be a Game 6 in the Bronx on Wednesday night.

Tags:

AJ Burnett, Alfredo Aceves, Brett Gardner, Chase Utley, Cliff Lee, Dave Robertson, Jayson Werth, Phil Coke, Phillies, Raul Ibanez, Ryan Madson, World Series Game 5, Yankees

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

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

This is a rematch of last year’s championship series. Will it come down to a rematch of Dodgers closer Jonathon Broxton versus Phillies pinch-hitter Matt Stairs? If Phillies closer Brad Lidge can stay on track, the Phillies will be in good shape. The Dodgers are seeking redemption after losing last year in the NLCS. The Dodgers also have home-field advantage with home games in Games 1, 2, 6, and 7.

This series is evenly matched. Both teams are very good defensively, though the Dodgers give up some defense when Ronnie Belliard is in the lineup over Orlando Hudson at second base. Both teams can pitch. The Phillies starting rotation has been its strong suit since acquiring Cliff Lee. The Dodgers rotation had been a question mark, though against the Cardinals, they were impressive (except for Randy Wolf). The Phillies bullpen has been a weakness all season though collectively pitched well in the NLDS. They need to get Ryan Madson back on track, while keeping Lidge steady. The Philadelphia Phillies have decided to go with 11 pitchers in the NLCS, so as to add an extra hitter off the bench. The Phillies added Chan Ho Park (who has been out with an injury) and lost Brett Myers and Kyle Kendrick. They will also have Joe Blanton and JA Happ available out of the bullpen for Games 1 & 2. The Dodgers bullpen has been one of the best in the league. Add in starter Chad Billingsley and it makes them better. The Dodgers starters need only go 6 innings with the backend reliever combination of Hong-Chih Kuo, George Sherrill, and Broxton. Both teams hit. The Dodgers have speed and power, with Rafael Furcal and Matt Kemp at the top followed by Manny Ramirez, Andre Ethier, and James Loney. The Phillies also have speed and power, with Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino at the top followed by Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, and Raul Ibanez (who is heating up at the right time). The Phillies need Rollins to snap out of his season long slump that he has carried into the postseason. Both teams have veterans off the bench: the Dodgers have Mark Loretta (NLDS Game 2 hero), Jim Thome, and Juan Pierre, and the Phillies have Stairs, Gregg Dobbs, Eric Bruntlett (just added to the NLCS roster), and Miguel Cairo. Both teams have experienced managers: the Dodgers have Joe Torre and all his experience with the NY Yankees and the Phillies have Charlie Manuel and his 2008 World Series ring. This is a series I see taking seven games to crown a National League Champion.

Game 1: Cole Hamels @ Clayton Kershaw
Hamels has been dominant against the Dodgers in his career (4GS, 2-0, 1.50 ERA) and at Dodger Stadium (16 GS, 3-4, 1.83 ERA). However, the Dodgers have hit left-handed pitchers better than right-handers this year. Kershaw has been dominant at home this year (2 GS, 1-0, 1.12 ERA), though he hasn’t had success against the Phillies in his career (4 GS, 0-3, 6.64 ERA). Kershaw will need to be dominant against the lefty heavy Phillies lineup.
Game 2: Pedro Martinez @ Vicente Padilla
Pedro hasn’t pitched since September 30th and that was only a 4 inning outing. The coaches indicate that Pedro looked good in his bullpens and that he could throw anywhere from 70-100 pitches Friday night. Pedro wasn’t so confident, at least in his comments: “I threw on the side and in the bullpen, but that’s not enough,” he said. My two innings of BP were a little bit erratic, wild a little bit.” So he doesn’t think he was sharp. Padilla was sharp in his Game 2 NLDS start against the Cardinals, going seven shutout innings. In his ten previous regular season starts, Padilla didn’t go more than 6 innings. This should be an interesting game between 2 veterans with something to prove.
Game 3: Cliff Lee vs. Huroki Kuroda
Lee was masterful in his first two career playoff starts (both in the NLDS against the Rockies). Kuroda has been out since September 28th with a neck injury. If the weather is cold in Philly, this could hinder Kuroda’s effectiveness. Torre seemed confident in Kuroda’s outings in hot Arizona in an instructional league game.
Game 4: Joe Blanton/JA Happ vs. Randy Wolf
This start comes down to who doesn’t get used as much out of the bullpen for the Phillies. Happ only pitched once against the Dodgers in 2009 and that was 2/3 of an inning in relief. Blanton made one start against the Dodgers in 2009, pitching six innings and giving up just one run on five hits. Wolf, who pitched well in the second half for the Los Angeles Dodgers but struggled in the NLDS against the Cardinals, is familiar with pitching in hostile Philly. Wolf hasn’t faired well against the Phillies this year, at least against the right-handed hitters and at Dodger Stadium. The left-handed hitting Phillies have yet to score a run against him, with just one hit and nine strikeouts. Wolf won his start at Citizens Bank Park, going 6 innings while giving up just one run on three hits and striking out eight.
Key Matchups:
Jayson Werth vs. the Dodgers lefty relievers: Werth had 14 HR in 2009 against left-handed pitching with a .302 batting average. He also walked more than he struck out (37 BB/ 33 K). He will be key hitting between lefties Howard and Ibanez. Sherrill faced right-handed hitters in 17.2 innings with a 1.02 ERA, allowing 15 hits and 2 runs. He walked 9 and struck out 10. Kuo faced right-handed hitters in 20.1 innings allowing 16 hits and 7 runs with a 3.02 ERA. He walked 7 and struck out 16.
Clayton Kershaw vs. the Phillies left-handed hitters (Utley, Howard, Ibanez): Versus lefties this season, Kershaw has 41.1 innings pitched, giving up 24 hits and 10 runs (1 HR), with 11 BB and 72 K. Utley hit .288 against lefties with 11 HR, 14 doubles, and 33 RBIs. He also had 35 walks and only struck out 37 times. Howard only hit .207, with 6 HR, 13 doubles, and 33 RBIs. He walked 25 times, but struck out 83 times. Ibanez hit .285 with 13 HR, 10 doubles, and 40 RBIs. He walked 16 times and struck out 41 times. It will be key for Kershaw (and the other left-handed pitchers) to neutralize these Philly lefties in order to advance to the World Series. These Philly left-handed hitters will need to produce in order for the Phillies to advance.

Tags:

Clayton Kershaw, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Huroki Kuroda, JA Happ, Jayson Werth, Joe Blanton, LA Dodgers, NLCS, Pedro Martinez, Philadelphia Phillies, Randy Wolf, Vicente Padilla

With the days off in the between the divisional series and championship series, I decided to dwell on the Arizona Fall League (AFL). The AFL is used many different ways by major league teams. Some teams are getting their first-round draft picks their first professional experience or getting them some more innings pitched or at-bats. The most talked about player opening his professional career in the AFL is the 2009 overall number one pick of the Washington Nationals, Steven Strasburg. Though Strasburg pitched in instructional league, his experience in the AFL will be his first in real game situations since signing with the Nationals. The Nationals are also sending their other first-round pick, Drew Storen to the AFL. Storen signed quickly and moved quickly through the Nationals system, ending the season in Double-A Harrisburg. This experience for Storen could catapult him onto the big league roster come April. The Seattle Mariners first-round pick (and number two overall) Dustin Ackley will be making his professional debut for the Peoria Javelinas.

Others send their top prospects to see how they play against great competition of other teams’ top prospects. The Red Sox have Casey Kelly, a pitcher/shortstop, playing for Mesa. Kelly spent the first half of the season pitching (which ended in the Future’s Game). From there, he played the rest of the season at shortstop. In the AFL, Kelly will be getting at-bats and working on his defense at short. The Toronto Blue Jays have outfielder Adam Loewen, who is making his second appearance in the AFL, though his first time was as a pitcher in the Baltimore Orioles organization. Loewen is trying to re-invent himself as an outfielder, just like the St. Louis Cardinals Rick Ankiel. Some other top prospects who will be making appearances in the AFL include the NY Mets Ike Davis (who in his first game hit a grand slam with 6 RBIs), the Atlanta Braves Jason Heyward (Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year), the Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Domonic Brown, SF Giants catcher Buster Posey (who made his big league debut this September), and KC Royals Mike Moustakas.

Still some send players who missed time due to injury to get at-bats or innings pitched. The Philadelphia Phillies have former big leaguers Scott Mathieson and Mike Zagurski, who have seen their careers derailed due to injuries, on the Scottsdale roster to build on their comebacks that ended in Double-A Reading at the end of the minor league season. The San Francisco Giants sent Joe Martinez to the Scottsdale roster also, as he missed time after getting hit with a line drive in his second big league game. Martinez pitched opening night for Scottsdale, going three innings, giving up just one run on four hits, with four strikeouts. After missing most of the season recovering from an aneurism, the NY Yankees Ian Kennedy took to the mound opening day for the Surprise Rafters going four innings, giving up just two hits and one run while striking out four. The Florida Marlins pitcher Andrew Miller was a big piece of the Willis-Cabrera trade to the Detroit Tigers. Miller had a disappointing season in 2009, dealing with a demotion to Triple-A and a right ankle injury. The Marlins have placed him on the Mesa roster to get him some innings and refine his delivery. As Miller stated “I haven’t thrown that much in general. I’ve got some things that I’m working on mechanically. In general, my ultimate goal is to throw more strikes”.

Many AFL alumni have reached the majors, with 2008 players Gordon Beckham and Tommy Hanson being considered for league rookie of the year honors. The MLB 2009 postseason rosters consisted of 99 players who are alums of the AFL. Jayson Werth of the Phillies is an AFL alum who is shining in the postseason, carrying the Phillies to the NLCS. The AFL allows for players to shine with many scouts in attendance. The Cleveland Indians Jason Donald, who played in the AFL in 2008 and became one of the league’s top prospects, put himself on the Phillies radar with the success he had in the AFL (he hit .407 with 12 doubles). It also helped the Phillies gain Cliff Lee at midseason, as Donald was included in the Lee trade to the Indians. I will try to give weekly updates on the AFL (and other winter leagues) to let you know who is doing what in the offseason.

Tags:

Adam Loewen, Andrew Miller, Arizona Fall Leagu, Casey Kelly, Drew Storen, Dustin Ackley, Jason Donald, Jayson Werth, Joe Martinez, Mesa, Mike Zagurski, Peoria, Scott Mathieson, Scottsdale, Steven Strasburg, Surprise

Phillies 5, Rockies 4: Are the Philadelphia Phillies destined for World Series glory? After last night’s comeback victory, some may say so. With a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, manager Charlie Manuel went to Ryan Madson with runners on in relief of starter Cliff Lee, who once again pitched brilliantly. After getting Troy Tulowitzki to fly out to newly inserted Ben Francisco in left on a great diving catch, Rockies pinch-hitter Jason Giambi singled in Dexter Fowler to tie the game. Madson then allowed a 2-run double to Phillies killer Yorvit Torrealba to give the Rockies a 4-2 lead. This was one of the only times the Rockies came through with runners in scoring position. With the lead, Rockies manager Jim Tracy gave the ball to closer Huston Street to close out the game and send the series back to Philly. Street, for the second straight night, could not put away the Phillies. Down to their final out, the Phillies Ryan Howard ripped a 2-run double to right to tie the game and Jayson Werth blooped an RBI single with two strikes scoring Howard to give the Phillies a 5-4 lead. The air was completely let out of Coors Field and the 50,000+ fans in attendance were in shock. In the bottom of the ninth when Scott Eyre got into trouble, Manuel called on Brad Lidge to close out the game. With the tying run on second Tulowitzki checked his swing on a low and outside slider from Lidge. With two strikes, catcher Carlos Ruiz went out to talk to Lidge saying “make sure you throw me the good one”. Lidge threw another slider low and outside, but this time “Tulo” couldn’t check his swing and he struck out to end the game. This set off the Phillies celebration and sent the Rockies into disbelief. Many Rockies players could be seen in the dugout hanging their heads or looking out onto the field in utter shock. Two straight nights and Lidge converted saves, looking more like the Lidge of 2008 than the Lidge of 2009.

Shane Victorino quickly gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the first on a solo homerun. The Rockies again put men on base against Lee in the first but could not drive in a run. Jayson Werth connected on an opposite field sole homerun in the 6th inning. Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well, just allowing the solo homeruns. Jimenez went 7 innings giving up the two runs on 6 hits, while striking out seven. Lee went into the 8th inning allowing three runs (1 earned) on five hits with five strikeouts. However that inning could have been more for the Rockies if Tulowitzki hadn’t been doubled off of second on a Garrett Atkins line drive out. Another base-running mistake cost a playoff team. The Rockies finally broke through when Lee walked Todd Helton and Tulowitzki ripped an RBI double to the left-centerfield gap, just scoring Helton. The Phillies had the bases-loaded and just one out in the 8th, but Rafael Betancourt came in and threw just four pitches to get out of the inning without allowing a run.

The Phillies head home to prepare for the NLCS against the LA Dodgers for the second straight season. The NLCS begins Thursday in Los Angeles.

Tags:

Brad Lidge, Colorado Rockies, Huston Street, Jayson Werth, NLDS, Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan Howard

The Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies are very similar. They were the top two power clubs in the National League. The Rockies had four players with at least 20 homers (Troy Tulowitzki, Ian Stewart, Clint Barmes, and Brad Hawpe) and the Phillies have four players with at least 30 homers (Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez, and Chase Utley). They both have strong starting pitching.

The Phillies have been carried by Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, JA Happ, and late season additions Cliff Lee and Pedro Martinez. The Rockies have been carried by Aaron Cook, Ubaldo Jimenez, Jason Marquis, Jorge De La Rosa, and Jason Hammel.

The Rockies don’t have any big names in their rotations, but these five get the job done and keep the high-powered Rockies offense in the game. The rotation has five guys with 10 or more wins. Both teams have World Series experience. In 2007, the Rockies and Phillies faced off in the NLDS and the Rockies swept on their way to the World Series.

Last year, the Phillies won it all. This year, the Phillies hope to redeem themselves on their way to repeating. During the season, the Phillies held a 4-2 edge, winning 2 out of 3 home and away. Both Lee and Happ dominated at home for the Phillies.

The Phillies were 2nd in the league in steals with the Majors’ highest success rate, led by Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, and Werth. However, their on-base percentages are not good. The Rockies had 8 walk-off hits and won 17 games in their final at-bat. They have a different hero every night and do not rely on one single player to dominate or produce.

A key matchup late in the game would be: Rockies lefty reliever Franklin Morales vs. Phillies lefty slugger Ryan Howard. Morales has a power fastball with a good breaking ball and Howard is relied on so heavily in the lefty-dominated Phillies lineup. Howard is 0-for-3 with 2 Ks in his career against Morales.

Rockies Strengths:
*Veteran leadership: Todd Helton and Jason Giambi provide leadership to the young guys on an everyday basis. Helton has been in Colorado for his entire career and is a consummate professional. Giambi, who struggled in his return to Oakland, came over in a late season deal and has been rejuvenated as a pinch-hitter in Colorado.

*Closers: The Rockies have two choices when it comes down to closing out games. Both Huston Street and Morales are capable of finishing the deal. Street, who came over in the off-season deal for Matt Holliday, has been great (35 saves, 2 blown saves). Morales, who took over as closer when Street was on the DL, also has been lights out. The Rockies are 83-1 when leading after 8 innings.

*Speed & versatility: The Rockies have speed with centerfielder Dexter Fowler leading off and a combination of Carlos Gonzalez, Ryan Spilborghs, and Seth Smith in left field. If the speed gets on in front of sluggers Helton, Hawpe, and Tulowitzki, the Phillies could be in trouble. They have about 5 guys who can get the job done in the outfield (Hawpe, Fowler, Gonzalez, Smith, & Spilborghs), along with 2 third baseman (Garrett Akins & Ian Stewart) and 2 catchers (Chris Iannetta & Yorvit Torrealba). Any one of these guys can be a difference maker in a game.

*Power: As I mentioned above, the Rockies have sluggers. With the series being played in hitter and homer friendly parks (Citizens Bank Park & Coors Field), this series could be a slugfest.

Rockies Weaknesses:
*Inconsistencies on offense: The Rockies offense has been up and down all year. They scored a ton of runs against the Brewers in the last week of the season, but followed that up by only scoring 7 runs in three games against the Dodgers.

*Inabilities to hit left-handed pitching: This has led to Phillies manager Charlie Manuel contemplating starting 3 straight lefties against the Rockies (Lee, Hamels, and Happ). Helton has the highest average against lefties (.311), with the nest best average being Tulowitzki’s .269. The Rockies lineup can be as lefty heavy as the Phillies.

*The rotation: I mentioned above that the Rockies rotation has been one of its strongest parts. It has also been a question mark. Cook has only made 2 starts since coming off of the DL. He says he feels good and the 2 starts showed how dominant he can be. There has been talk about Marquis again not making the playoff roster because of his second-half struggles.

Jimenez has been a workhorse, but how will the bright lights and pressure of pitching in Philly affect him? De La Rosa was injured in his last start and his health is up in the air. He won 16 games, but may have been the most inconsistent of them all. The latest news has him NOT on the NLDS roster due to that groin injury

Rockies Key Players:
*Seth Smith: From the left side of the plate, Smith has been clutch since coming up late in 2007. He has a .472 pinch-hitting batting average. 30 of his 54 RBIs this season have come in the 7th inning or later.
*Ryan Spilborghs: From the right side of the plate, Spilborghs has a .347 batting average in 2009 against the Phillies.

Phillies Strengths:
*Defense: The Phillies defense has the second fewest errors in MLB. With Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley up the middle in the infield, Shane Victorino (1 error) in center, and Carlos Ruiz (3 errors) behind the plate, the middle of the playing field is covered. Ryan Howard has worked hard at his defense and Pedro Feliz is a magnet at third.

Raul Ibanez (2 errors) and Jayson Werth are solid, with Werth having an outstanding arm (11 outfield assists). The Phillies will not hurt themselves by putting extra men on base by committing errors.

*The rotation (1-4): Manager Charlie Manuel hasn’t decided on the rotation yet, but he has named Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels as Game one and two starters respectively. If Manuel decides to take advantage of the Rockies inability to hit lefties, JA Happ would be the logical choice for Game three. If not, Joe Blanton, who has been a workhorse all year, would start Game three (or possibly Game four). Pedro Martinez, a late season acquisition who has been great when healthy, is also an option. As of late though, the rotation has struggled, especially Lee and Hamels.

*Offense: As I mentioned, the Phillies have sluggers and can put up huge offensive numbers. However, they tend to live and die by the homerun ball. If they can be consistent, it could be a slugfest.
*Experience: Except for Ibanez in the starting lineup, the rest of the Phillies were a part of the World Series winning team. The experience of playing in the pressure-packed atmosphere should help in calming any nerves.

Phillies Weaknesses:*Bullpen: This is their biggest glaring weakness. The questions include: Who will close? Who is healthy? Who is the lefty? Who makes the roster? Manuel had auditions all weekend in Philly to see what he had and what each pitcher had to offer. Both Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge are probably the 2 choices to close games, though neither has been “lights out”. Madson had 10 saves, with 6 blown saves, and Lidge, who didn’t blow a save all of 2008, blew 11 saves with an ERA over 7. The Phillies are 79-10 when leading after 8 innings.

*Pedro’s health (and everyone else’s): Pedro could be a huge asset if healthy. He has tons of playoff experience and could either start, be the long reliever, or maybe even close.
*The bull’s eye: The Phillies won the World Series last year and everyone all year wanted a piece of them. This postseason will be no different. Will the Phillies falter under the pressure of trying to repeat or will they succeed?
Phillies Key Player:

*Carlos Ruiz: Ruiz is the rock behind the Phillies pitching staff. Last year, Ruiz got hot offensively during the playoffs. He could put extra pressure on the Rockies pitching staff if he can hit in the number 8 hole. His defense behind the plate can be game-changing, especially when Lidge comes in burying the slider into the ground.

Tags:

Aaron Cook, Cole Hamels, Colorado Rockies, Ian Stewart, JA Happ, Jason Marquis, Jayson Werth, Joe Blanton, Jorge De La Rosa, Philadelphia Phillies, Raul Ibanez, Ryan Howard, Troy Tulowitzki, Ubaldo Jimenez