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