Phightin' Phils Phorum

Fireworks In Philly – How FOX Sports Tried To Ruin The 4th Of July

Before I get to FOX Sports, I have a game re-cap for you.  Jamie Moyer, the oldest player in the major leagues, took the mound today against the New York Mets for his 600th career start!  Congratulations Jamie!  What a milestone!  Moyer was outstanding in his effort and allowed only 1 run in 6 1/3 innings.  Not only is Jamie an amazing baseball player, he is an even more amazing human being.  Jamie dedicates countless hours to charity work with The Moyer Foundation and is ever-present in the community; a true role model for children and people of all ages.  It is refreshing to see such success come to a person who really deserves it.

Jamie got the win by a score of 4-1.  Shane Victorino and Pedro Feliz were the Phillies offensive stars of the game today; Victorino went 3 for 4 with an RBI; Feliz had 3 hits as well.  Even Jimmy Rollins joined the party and collected 2 RBI on a double.  SO nice to see Jimmy creeping back to life!  It is also a big relief to see Ryan Madson begin to pitch his way back to normal.  In to relieve JC Romero, he recorded 2 quick outs to retire the Mets in the 8th inning.  Then Brad Lidge came in for the 9th, saved the game, and all is as it should be…at least for today ;O)

This gives the Phillies a series win at home for a change, and more importantly, an opportunity to sweep the Mets!  I will be at the game tomorrow and bring back news and photos.

Trade??

In some very odd news, Paul Bako, our back-up, back-up catcher (not a typo) has started 3 of the last 4 games.  This has given me some reason to speculate.  Could Carlos Ruiz be on the trading block with the Phillies desperately seeking pitching?  If they are in the middle of negotiating with another team, it makes sense to sit Ruiz as they would not want him to get hurt while making decisions.  With Chris Coste as a solid back-up and Lou Marson waiting in AAA, this may not be such a strange move.  Another possibility is that Ruiz is hurt again and no one is talking.  Then again, maybe Charlie Manuel was just feeling a bit silly this week?  We shall see as the week progresses.

Why FOX Sports Sucks

Can someone please explain to me WHY my Phillies – Mets game today was interrupted multiple times so that FOX sports could should gratuitous footage of Manny Ramirez at bat in San Diego?  It was Manny’s 2nd game back with the Dodgers since serving a 50-game suspension for violating MLB’s drug policy.  Can I get a big “WHO CARES??” from the peeps, please?  Thank you.

Seriously, it was not Manny setting some amazing record; not Manny greeting aliens from a spaceship for our first extraterrestrial encounter; not even the President of the United States giving an important speech…Manny’s 2nd game back after a STEROID suspension.  Heck, not even the 1st game back (even so, I would not have cared to see that either).  Has FOX Sports reached an all-time low in trying to get ratings?  You betcha.  It was like them interrupting a blessing from Jesus Christ himself to show a drive-by shooting.  What exactly were they expecting to happen?  That Manny’s head would explode?  Or, he was going to announce the cure for cancer?  Now THAT would have been news.

And yet, on this most important day in America where we celebrate the freedom of our great country, we are subjected to this ridiculous, infantile Mannywood hype by FOX Sports.  On the 70th anniversary of Lou Gehrig retiring from baseball while suffering from a fatal disease…we get Manny-Insanity.  On the day Jamie Moyer celebrates his 600th career start as a pitcher, are we shown historical footage of the eldest current player in baseball...a person who is a great humanitarian as well?  No…we get dreadlock fever.  

Truly disgusting.  FOX Sports – you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Moyer & Manny Photos by Jenn

 

Shaking The Bank

Could the Mets be the cure for the bad baseball bug that has bitten the Phillies lately?  Today’s 7-2 win that rocked Citizens Bank Park was definitely a good start.  Another good start today was that of new Phillies pitcher, Rodrigo Lopez, who stunned Philadelphia fans with his excellent ball control and ability to throw strikes.  Throwing strikes does seem to be the object of the game, but not many Phillies pitchers have given that a try recently.  So Lopez’s emergence from AAA after his recovering from Tommy-John surgery is a welcome surprise.

But is Lopez that good or are the Mets just that bad right now?  It may be a little of both, but Lopez certainly did show promise.  And this guy is no stranger to the big leagues; Lopez pitched 5 years with the Baltimore Orioles and part of 2007 with the Rockies before his injury.  The experience showed tonight as he was very poised on the mound and unshaken by the large, raucous crowd.  Lopez pitched 6 1/3 innings of 2 run ball and walked only 1 batter.  If he can repeat this a few more times, the Phillies will be more than happy to keep him around.

The Phillies offense finally found a groove tonight as well.  The top of the line-up led the charge, with Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino and Chase Utley each collecting at least 2 hits each.  Utley & Rollins had 2 RBI a piece as well.  Maybe Charlie Manuel finally grabbed these guys by the throat and shook them around until some offense fell out, like coins from a piggy bank?  Whatever the case, everyone hopes he did not break the bank in one night.

Ryan Madson, who was sorely in need of a clean inning after a horrific few weeks, pitched the 9th with a 5 run lead.  John Mayberry Jr. lent a hand by making a diving grab in the outfield.  That out helped get Madson through it and he nailed down a scoreless, hitless inning.  Madson can now exhale and hopefully, get things back on track.

With two more games coming up against the rival Mets, there may still be a light at the end of the tunnel for the Phillies if they can continue to play with the same intensity they did today.  Jamie Moyer will kick things off tomorrow at 4:05pm on the 4th of July!  With any luck, the offense will provide the fireworks.

Rollins & Manuel Photo by Jenn

Lopez photo: http://theoriolereport.com/

 

 

Preseries Quick Hits: Phillies vs. Mets 7/3, 7/4, 7/5/09

The Philadelphia Phillies (39-37) are at Citizens Bank Park to host their N.L. East rivals New York Mets in another chapter of the Turnpike Series. The Phillies are coming off being swept by the Atlanta Braves. The Phillies look to right the ship and retake sole possession of first place.

Pitching Match ups:

7/3/09 vs. NYM Livan Hernandez, RHP (5-3, 4.04) vs. Rodrigo Lopez, RHP (0-0, -.--) 7:05pm

7/4/09 vs. NYM Fernando Nieve, RHP (3-1, 2.25) vs. Jamie Moyer, LHP (6-6, 6.05) 4:05pm

7/5/09 vs NYM Johan Santana, LHP (9-6, 3.34) vs. Joe Blanton, RHP (4-4, 5.08) 1:35pm

Other Quick Hits:

• The Phillies are 19-15 against National League East opponents in 2009.
• The Phillies lead the league in stolen base percentage with an 80.3% mark.
• The Phillies are the only team in major league baseball to have 4 players with at least 50 runs scored (Utley, Werth, Victorino, Ibanez).
• The Phillies lead MLB with 7 pinch hit homeruns.
• The Phillies are 429-379 all time against the Mets.
• The Phillies have a 3-4 record against the Mets in 2009. They are 1-1 at Citizens Bank Park this year.
• The Mets have a 26-22 record at Citizens Bank Park.

Pitchers Scouting Report:

7/3:

Mets: Hernandez fell victim to the "one bad inning" syndrome that hit Mets starters during their series sweep at the hands of the Yankees, surrendering three first-inning runs last Sunday. Hernandez was in total control after that, allowing just one more hit as he completed seven innings for a third consecutive start. Although Hernandez has pitched well of late, the Mets have lost his past four starts. While this will be Hernandez's first start against the Phillies this season, he has a 10-8 record and a 3.36 ERA against Philadelphia in 24 career starts; he is 2-2 with a 5.45 ERA in five starts at Citizens Bank Park. Chase Utley is 8-for-24 lifetime against the right-hander, and Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard each have two home runs -- but averages below .200 -- against Hernandez.

Phillies: Right-hander Rodrigo Lopez will make his season debut Friday against the Mets. He takes left-hander Antonio Bastardo's spot in the rotation. Bastardo is on the DL with a strained left shoulder. Lopez is 5-4 with a 3.91 ERA in 13 starts this season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He is 65-65 with a 4.80 ERA in his seven-year Major League career. Because of arm problems, he last pitched for the Rockies in 2007. Lopez signed a Minor League deal with the Phillies at the end of Spring Training after they watched him pitch in the World Baseball Classic.

7/4:

Mets: Nieve failed to make it out of the fourth inning in his last start against Milwaukee, giving up three runs to lose for the first time this season. Nieve threw just 3 1/3 innings, leaving the bottom of the fourth with the bases loaded and one out. He gave up three runs -- which were as many as had given up all year -- on 11 hits, throwing 68 pitches. Nieve has made five appearances against the Phillies, all in relief. He has given up five runs in 1 1/3 innings.

Phillies: Moyer struggled in his first two innings against the Blue Jays on Sunday, but settled in his next three to pick up the victory. In five innings, he allowed four runs on five hits. He walked two, struck out four and threw 82 pitches. "I made a number of bad pitches and the ones I made that were bad got hit hard," Moyer said. But with the 252nd victory of his career, Moyer passed Hall of Famer Bob Gibson for 43rd place on the all-time list.

7/5:

Mets: Santana gave up five earned runs on nine hits in his last start against the Brewers on Tuesday, losing for the third time in his last four starts. Santana left the game in the seventh inning after giving up a leadoff home run to Prince Fielder. Santana has a perfect 4-0 record against the Phillies in his career, with a 2.95 ERA in eight starts. He has faced Philadelphia twice already this year, with his last start coming on June 9 when he allowed five runs on four homers in eight innings in a 6-5 Mets win.

Phillies: Blanton allowed eight hits and three runs in just five innings Tuesday against the Braves at Turner Field. He didn't pitch poorly. He just threw a lot of pitches. Not only did he allow eight hits, he also walked three (although two were intentional). That had his pitch count at 93 through five innings, so when the Phillies had a chance to score the tying run in the top of the sixth, they pinch-hit for him. Blandon had been pitching well before Tuesday, too. He had a 3.45 ERA in his previous seven starts.

Series Lineups:

Series lineups and game chat will be hosted at MyTeamRivals.com's Turnpike Series.

Coming Up:

The Phillies will host the Reds.

What Can Charlie Do?

The Philadelphia Phillies looked like they turned a page when they won their weekend series against the Toronto Blue Jays. That page was turned back as the Phillies suffered a sweep in Atlanta against the Braves and fell into a tie for first place in the National League East.

As I watched the pitiful game, I sat with some of the Phillies most knowledgeable fans and listened to their ideas of how Charlie Manuel and the team could get better. One suggestion was to bat Jimmy Rollins eighth. Others said sixth. Another was to put Jayson Werth in the leadoff spot. Others spoke of trades that needed to be made. Players were criticized, mainly Rollins and Ryan Madson but there were others. One friend even said she thought Rollins won his ring and now wants to be traded because Philadelphia was too tough of a place for him to play. Frustration was everywhere. Much like it is in the Phillies clubhouse.

As I listened I thought of two things. The first was about tinkering with the lineup and the second was about how the Phillies could get away from the thoughts of losing 14 of 18 games. The bottom line is there is no magic formula. Just a simple suggestion.

The basic lineup that is out there was good enough to win a division title in 2007 and the World Series in 2008. Moving guys around messes with their confidence. They already have a problem with their confidence because of losing. Why make it worse for them by thinking the manager does not believe they can do the job in their place in the batting order. Like it or not, batting .200 or not, Jimmy Rollins is the Phillies leadoff hitter. Put him there, leave him there, put confidence in him, and let him figure things out. The same thing goes for the rest of the team.

How does the team move their thoughts away from the last 18 or so games? Well Charlie Manuel spoke of the solution a lot last season. One game at a time. They need to stop listening to the media about their home record, their record of the past few weeks, etc and focus on winning today's ballgame. Tomorrow think only about tomorrow. This may sound over simplified, but dwelling on records and streaks good or bad is not a good idea.

There is no doubt that this Phillies team has the talent to win the division again. They do need some pitching help, but they are the best team in the division. They need to stop dwelling on yesterday and get back to playing one game at a time. And hopefully winning that game!!!

Big Trouble

For a change, the Phillies got a great outing from a starting pitcher; JA Happ went 7 innings and only allowed 2 runs.  However, Ryan Madson, who has been nothing short of awful lately, was still sent out to pitch the 8th inning, despite his troubles.  Madson gave up 3 runs and threw away any possibility of a win for the Phillies.  Madson has made a habit out of blowing games in the past month and manager Charlie Manuel is doing him no favors by continuing to put him on the mound.   Clearly, Madson has issues to straighten out and during tight games is not the time for him to “work” on his pitches.  Manuel cannot keep putting the same guys out there and expect different results; especially when the team is on the verge of being swept and coming off a horrible road trip.

Well, they got swept alright, and it was ugly.  Not only that, but as I predicted, they are now nearly out of 1st place (tied with Marlins) and quickly plummeting down the ranks of the NL East.  Manuel needs to deal with the players that are not producing and dealing with them should not include putting blind faith in players when things have gotten this bad.

Jimmy Rollins did attempt to turn his season around tonight; he went 2 for 4, but it was all for nothing.  The entire game, the entire road trip, has been an exercise in futility as the Phillies cannot seem to win a game.  The only real entertainment tonight was watching Chase Utley impersonate a charging bull, as he slammed into the Braves catcher, Brian McCann, to score the first of only 2 runs for the team on the day.  Greg Dobbs had a nice day as well, but again, it did not matter.

The Phillies struggled in the first half of last season, and they still won the World Series.  However, the struggles this year are a completely different animal.  Mental errors, lapses in judgment and very bad pitching have thrown 2009 into a much different level of awful.  It is officially time to be worried, Phillies fans.  This team has let a potentially big lead in the division wander on by and now, nothing is going right.

Injury Update

Raul Ibanez was supposed to play in a rehab game yesterday in Reading, but the start was pushed back to today.  Then, today’s appearance was pushed back as well…  Is this reason for concern or are the Phillies just playing it really safe?  Ibanez has been sorely missed in the line-up and everyone is anxious to get him back.  Of course, the Phillies need him back healthy.  And so we wait…

One Last Time – Vote!

Only a few hours left!  Please ignore how bad this team has gotten and keep VOTING for your Phillies All-Stars!  (I need something to look forward to) VOTE up to 25 times.  Voting ends at 11:59 PM ET tonight!  Utley & Ibanez should be locks for a spot, but Howard, Victorino and Rollins are still teetering on the brink…so, keep on voting!

Utley Photo by Jenn

 

Will The Real Cole Hamels Please Stand Up

Where has the NLCS and the World Series MVP gone?  Certainly, he is not the same pitcher who is currently 4-5 with a 4.98 ERA?  Oh heck, make it an even 5.00.  And tonight, his problems were more magnified than ever; Cole Hamels pitched only 4+ innings and allowed 7 earned runs as the Phillies went down 1-11.  Seven runs against an Atlanta team that everyone said had NO offense; well, I guess they were just waiting for the Phillies to come to town.

But what is the problem with Hamels?  First, he is leaving way too many pitches up in the zone.  This is not his typical style, but suddenly, it has become a real issue.  Second, he is pitching frustrated.  In recent days, the previously cool and confident Hamels has become a whiny crybaby with the umpires and has a general look of dissatisfaction on his face all the time.  But why?  For a guy who has had this much success at a young age, he has no reason to pout…with the exception maybe of his last several outings.  He was the 2008 World Series MVP…he bought a brand new luxury condo in Philly…his wife is expecting their first child…everyone worships him.  So, what is the issue?  Where did the smile go?

Then again, this entire team has seemingly lost their Mojo over the past month.  Just ask Jimmy Rollins; in fact, the only guy who’s Mojo appears untouchable is Chase Utley who is still batting .301 despite his team’s struggles.  And where has Ryan Howard’s big bat disappeared to?  He has not hit a home run since June 20th (that is 32 at-bats) and is hitting .240 overall this past month.  The most feared offensive team in the league has turned into a welcome relief to opposing pitchers who are now anxious to mow the Phillies down.

This is where Charlie Manuel’s short comings will come to light.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Charlie.  He has been the manager that this team has needed and he performed THE miracle by bringing the World Series Championship home.  And Charlie is a super nice guy; but that is exactly the issue.  He is too nice sometimes.  Sorry Charlie, but it is time to start banging heads together in that clubhouse.  The “nice” approach worked for two games, and now, they are right back in a funk. 

Not only that, but he should manage without worrying about making everyone happy.  When asked why he started Paul Bako at catcher tonight, a career bench guy, Manuel said he felt that because Bako was there with the team, he needed to play sometime.  I hate to disagree, but as the manager, Manuel does not owe anyone anything.  It is not Manuel’s job to soothe ego’s; it is his job to win games.  And no offense to Bako, but he is hardly the spark plug this team needs right now.  Forget about getting guys their playing time; play the guys who will produce.  And if Rollins cannot hit, move him down in the line-up.  There is no sense in him getting 5 at-bats a game when other players are hitting better.  No one cares how unhappy it makes Rollins, and neither should Charlie.  Get him out of the funk, then move him back.  Jimmy should be willing to do what is best for the team, and he knows that.  A little tough love is in order here.  The rest of the NL East is creeping right up on top of the Phillies and they will be out of first place this week if nothing changes.

The New Starter?

Rodrigo Lopez will, at least for now, occupy the hole left in the line-up by Brett Myers who is down for the season after hip surgery.  Lopez pitched for the Rockies in 2007, then had Tommy-John surgery.  Coming back from his injury, he signed a minor league deal with the Phils in March and has gone 5-4 with a 3.91 ERA in 13 starts this season with the AAA Iron Pigs.

Most expected to see Carlos Carassco in this spot, but that is not the way it will pan out.  However, this move may be a sign that GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has a trade in the works and did not want to bring up a young gun for a spot start.  If you are going to bring in a guy like Carassco, you are probably thinking that he will be in long term.  Since they did not do that, it leads me to think there may be something cooking.  Let us hope so…

Last Day To Vote

One day left; please keep VOTING for your Phillies All-Stars.  VOTE up to 25 times per day, per email address!  Voting ends at 11:59 PM ET tomorrow, Thursday, July 2, 2009.

Hamels Photos by Jenn

Eminem by http://graphicshunt.com

 

 

Dropping The Ball

Both literally and figuratively, the Phillies dropped the ball tonight.  After an off-day yesterday, the team sauntered into Atlanta and looked a bit sluggish, instead of rejuvenated.  Batting against Derek Lowe is generally no picnic, but they had some opportunities.  Chase Utley did his part, going 2 for 5 with a solo home run; and Pedro Feliz had a good night at the plate, playing outstanding defense in the field as well.  Joe Blanton had a so-so start; he went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs.  But most of the game was tight, without much action.

In fact, up until the 8th inning, the most entertaining part of the game was watching Braves pitcher, Mike Gonzalez swoon back and forth on the mound like a weeble-wobble.  No one was sure whether he was going to pitch or break dance.  That is one confused dude.  But his antics on the mound translated into back-to-back solo homers for the Phillies to give them a 4-3 lead.  John Mayberry and Feliz joined forces to knock the silliness right out of the Braves pitcher.

But the Braves tied the game back up in the bottom of the 8th, thanks to a dropped ball by Ryan Howard (bad feed from Madson), which allowed a runner to advance, and then Jayson Werth juggled another ball in the outfield.  Poor Ryan Madson just cannot catch a break lately when he is on the mound.  And these defensive mishaps would cost the Phillies the game.  Chan Ho Park got into trouble in the 10th inning with runners on 1st & 3rd and 1 out; the next batter hit a long fly ball to left field, which sealed the deal.

In addition to the loss, what also rings a few alarm bells around Philadelphia is the performance of Jimmy Rollins.  After being given a 4-game “mental” break / benching, Rollins came back today to resume his leadoff spot.  But frankly, it appears that nothing has changed.  Rollins still swung at bad pitches, very early in his at-bats and he had one shaky play in the field as well, missing a fairly routine ground ball that he normally would have snagged.  J-Roll ended the game without a hit in 5 at-bats and looks no closer to waking up than he did a week ago.  Has someone chained him down with Kryptonite?  Or is this just a phase?  A long, drawn-out, ridiculously bad phase…  Only time will tell.  However, the Phillies are nearing the half-way point of the season and time is a luxury they will not soon have.

Anyway, please keep VOTING for your Phillies All-Stars.  VOTE up to 25 times per day, per email address!  Voting ends at 11:59 PM ET on Thursday, July 2, 2009.

Rollins Photo by Jenn

Phillies vs. Braves 6/30/2009: Lineups and Game Chat

The Philadelphia Phillies look to continue their dominance at Ted Turner Stadium as they seek their tenth consecutive win in the Atlanta Braves home park. Joe Blanton gets the nod for the Fightins' while the Braves will have Derek Lowe tow the rubber.

Lineups are below. Game chat is in the comments section.

Lineups 6/30/09:

Phillies:

1. Rollins SS
2. Victorino CF
3. Utley 2B
4. Howard 1B
5. Werth RF
6. Dobbs LF
7. Feliz 3B
8. Ruiz C
9. Blanton P

Braves:

1. Blanco CF
2. Prado 2B
3. Jones 3B
4. McCann C
5. Anderson LF
6. Kotchman 1B
7. Francoeur RF
8. Hernandez SS
9. Lowe P

Preseries Quick Hits: Phillies vs. Braves 6/30, 7/1, 7/2

The Philadelphia Phillies () are in Atlanta to face the Braves () in a three game series. Interleague play is over and the Phillies look to keep the momentum going after winning their first series in over two weeks against the Toronto Blue Jays. Jimmy Rollins will return to the lineup and the leadoff spot tonight as the Phillies look increase their lead in the National League East.

Pitching Match Ups:

6/30 at Atl Joe Blanton, RHP (4-4, 5.06)vs. Derek Lowe, RHP (7-6, 4.53) 7:00pm

7/1 at Atl Cole Hamels, LHP (4-4, 4.44) vs. Jair Jurrjens, RHP (5-6, 2.93) 7:00pm

7/2 at Atl TBA vs. Javier Vazquez, RHP (5-7, 3.04) 7:00pm

Other Quick Hits:

• The Phillies are 11-13 in June this season and need one win to match their 12 win mark of a year ago. They were 12-14 last June.
• The Phillies win on Sunday tied them for the most road wins before the All Star break with 26. They also won 26 road games prior to the break in 1976.
• Their 26-12 road record is still the best in major league baseball.
• The Phillies .990 fielding percentage is the best in the National League.
• The Phillies are 19-12 against National League East opponents in 2009.
• The Phillies lead the National League with 104 homeruns and were the first team to have 4 players have double digits in homers.
• The Phillies have a 2-4 record in 2009 against the Braves.
• The Phillies have a 9 game winning streak in Atlanta. It is the most in franchise history.
• The Phillies all time record at Turner Field is 49-50.
• The Phillies all time record against the Braves is 1075-1181.
• Ryan Howard is a career .333 hitter against the Braves with 24 homeruns and 72 RBI's.
• Chris Coste is a career .352 hitter against Atlanta.

Pitchers Scouting Report:

6/30:

Phillies: Blanton made one mistake on Wednesday in a 7-1 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field -- he threw a fastball over the middle of the plate that former Phillies left fielder Pat Burrell hit for a two-run home run. It would be the only runs Blanton would allow in seven innings against the Rays. He surrendered just six hits, two runs and two walks. He also struck out 10. In his past six starts, Blanton is 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA, having allowed 12 earned runs in 39 1/3 innings. With other Phillies starters struggling, the club need Blanton more than ever.

Braves: Before last Thursday, Lowe had not faced the Yankees since 2004, when he was pitching for the Red Sox. After his trying outing last Thursday, he probably doesn't want to see them for another five years. Lowe was pounded to the tune of 11 hits and six earned runs in just three innings. The outing is starting to signal a troubling trend for the big right-hander, as he has now been hit hard in two of his past three starts. He gave up seven earned runs in 2 1/3 innings on June 14 in Baltimore. With Kenshin Kawakami unable to make his Tuesday start due to a neck contusion, Lowe will on regular rest following the Braves' off-day on Monday.

7/1:

Phillies: Hamels did not fare well against the Blue Jays in his last outing. The left-hander exhausted 105 pitches in the start, lasting just 4 2/3 innings. He took the loss and surrendered four runs on eight hits. When Hamels was removed from the game by manager Charlie Manuel during the fifth inning, he let his emotions show by arguing with the the home-plate umpire, resulting in an ejection. In 12 career starts against the Braves, Hamels is 7-3 with a 3.42 ERA.

Braves: As June drags on, Jurrjens' luck shows no signs of improving. The Curacao native took the loss against the Red Sox on Friday, despite going eight innings and allowing just three earned runs on seven hits. Jurrjens remains winless in June, despite allowing just 12 earned runs in 29 1/3 innings this month. The 23-year-old will try to end his winless streak against a Phillies team that he threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings against on April 7.

7/2:

Phillies: Carlos Carrasco has been the rumored pitcher for this game.

Braves: On a 94-degree Saturday afternoon, Vazquez threw 120 pitches over 7 2/3 innings and allowed just one run. However, the Puerto Rico native once again fell victim to a punchless Braves offense, taking the loss. Over his past six starts, Vazquez has a 1.90 ERA and a 1-3 record. The only damage came on an RBI single by Mark Kotsay that scored Kevin Youkilis. Vazquez hasn't pitched against the Nationals since 2005, but spent the first six seasons of his career in the Expos/Nationals organization.

Coming Up:

The Phillies return home for a fourth of July weekend that is sure to be full of fireworks as the New York Mets come to town.

Injury Updates

The walking wounded of the Philadelphia Phillies have a few updates today. Antonio Bastardo was placed on the 15 day disabled list. Sergio Escalona was recalled to fill his spot on the roster. Bastardo has a shoulder sprain. Meanwhile, Scott Eyre will start a rehab assignment with the Gulf Coast League Phillies on Tuesday. Hopefully he will return to the team by weeks end.

There has still been no announcement as to who will start Thursday's game. The smart money is on Carlos Carrasco. Kyle Kendrick could also be a candidate. I am not comfortable with either of them and think the Phillies need to get another pitcher PDQ! Kyle Drabek is not a candidate despite how well he has been pitching.

All Star Update

Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez will both start in the All Star game as they each lead their respective positions by a large margin. Shane Victorino needs your help though. The outfielder is currently in fifth place and is behind by 442,780 votes. You can make the difference. Encourage your friends and get online to vote. You can vote 25 times for each email address you have. If you have 6 email addresses like I do, you can vote 150 times! So get online and get voting!

I did not get an update on Jimmy Rollins but he clearly is not having an All Star season. While I have continued to vote with him I would tell you to vote your conscience. I guess I don't have one when it comes to the Phillies and the All Star Game!!!

Phinally – A Series Win

The Phillies wrapped up the series with the Blue Jays today and also ended interleague play for the year…finally!  As usual, interleague play was not kind to the Phillies and most are happy it is over.  However, there were a few highlights, including JA Happ’s first career complete game shut-out yesterday.  Happ allowed only 5 hits in the game and gave the bullpen a much needed rest.  The Phillies offense found their bats after a spanking from manager Charlie Manuel in a closed door meeting, and the team racked up ten runs in the game for Happ.  The very Happ-Y pitcher is now 5-0 on the season with a 3.00 ERA.

Today, the Phillies sent Jamie Moyer to the mound and he allowed 4 runs in 5 innings, including 3 home runs.  After the 5th, Manuel decided to take advantage of his rested pen and sent Chan Ho Park in who pitched 2 scoreless, hitless innings.  It is nice to see Park finally settling into his role and feeling good after getting hit with a batted ball two days ago.             

With the Phillies up 5-4 in the 8th, Ryan Madson was set up to have an easy inning; he got the first out, Scott Rolen hit a single, but then a routine double play ball to Eric Bruntlett turned into a disaster.  Bruntlett, filling in for Jimmy Rollins the last 3 days, dropped the ball leaving 2 runners on with only 1 out.  Poor Madson was sweating by the time he got to the 3rd out, but he got there and Pedro Feliz snagged a pop-up to end the threat.

Brad Lidge came in to get the save and, as usual, it was an adventure.  A bunt single, then a walk and hearts were racing again.  But Lidge got a pop-out, another out on a run down and finally capped it off with Bruntlett snagging a grounder and tossing to Ryan Howard for the final out.  Whew!  Finally…a series win.  Time to exhale…

Iron Pigs (AAA)

Yesterday, I attended an Iron Pigs game and saw Drew Carpenter pitch.  Carpenter has been a highly touted player in the minors and he did pitch a shut-out through 8 innings.  However, his fastball tops out at around 80mph (or at least it did last night).  Solid pitcher, but I am not sure the Phillies need another Jamie Moyer in the rotation.  Carlos Carassco and Kyle Drabek (AA) may still be possibilities to fill the hole left by Brett Myers.  Going outside the organization to get an experienced arm would be much better, but there are still very few pitchers available.  We shall see…

Mike Cervenak (photo) is doing very well after suffering a broken wrist last month; he was 2 for 5 in the game and is batting .313.  Mike Spidale (OF) led the pack with 3 hits and is batting .353; and Lou Marson (C) has been doing better of late – he had 2 hits and 2 RBI last night. 

Here is a PHOTO ALBUM from the Iron Pigs game, including shots from the fireworks show afterwards and even a 3-D fireworks shot!  I held the camera up to the 3-D glasses and it actually worked…check it out!

Up Next

The Phillies have the day off tomorrow to travel to Atlanta for a 3 game series before returning home on July 3rd to face the Mets.  Joe Blanton will pitch on Tuesday; game time is 7:00pm.

VOTE

The clock is ticking…please keep VOTING for your Phillies All-Stars!  VOTE up to 25 times per day, per email address!  Voting ends at 11:59 PM ET on Thursday, July 2, 2009.

Photos by Jenn

Manuel Tears Into Phillies

Charlie Manuel had enough after the Phillies loss last night to the Blue Jays and called a closed door meeting. Nothing has gone right for Philadelphia over the past few weeks and the team has made more than its share of mental mistakes.

The risk Manuel ran of having the meeting was causing the team to press even more than they already have been. It is a risk he felt was worth taking and in my opinion he timed it perfectly. Charlie knows his players and seems to know when to get on them and when to let them be.

Now the only left to do is hope the Phillies can turn things around. If the team can lose 10 out of 12 games, can't they win 10 out of 12? Let's hope so! William M Zeltman III MBA CEO MyTeamRivals.com http://www.myteamrivals.com 609-412-7235 Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Circling The Drain

The Phillies season is slowly, but surely, circling the drain.  With 11 losses in 13 games, injuries piling up and even the steady Cole Hamels beginning to lose his cool, this season is quickly working its way into the crapper.

Hamels had a very bad 5th inning against the Jays, but the umpire did him no favors with the inconsistent strike zone.  Still, after giving up 3 runs in the 5th and 1 prior to that in the 4th, Hamels was at the end of his rope.  Charlie Manuel pulled him from the game and as he walked off the mound, he gave an earful to the home plate ump who tossed him from the game.  It was the 1st player ejection for the Phillies of the season, although technically, he was out of the game already.

But the frustration from Hamels was just a microcosm of how the past several weeks have panned out for this team.  Bad breaks, bad hitting and even worse mental mistakes have led the Phillies down a dark and treacherous path.  Fans everywhere are waiting for a tornado to tear down the stadium; that is simply how bad it has been.

The Phillies offense did not record a hit until the 7th inning when Chase Utley singled.  Right before that, they saw yet another pitcher run out of the game early with an injury.  Chan Ho Park appeared to get hit by a batted ball in the knee and went down screaming in pain.  It was not pretty:

With Clay Condrey and Scott Eyre still on the DL; Brett Myers lost for the season and Brad Lidge just returning, Park going down is a serious kick in the gut.  Not to mention, still no Raul Ibanez and Jimmy Rollins continues sit on the  bench for a “mental” break.

Well, speaking of Lidge, Manuel decided to get him some work today, despite being down 0-4.  Lidge, in the non-save situation, did not fare well.  He gave up 2 runs on 2 hits and 2 walks in only 1/3 of an inning. Welcome back, Brad??  Ugh.  Just one more bummer in an already disastrous situation.

And the road to hell continues in Canada again tomorrow.  JA Happ will take the mound at 1:07pm and pray for a miracle…

Reminder:  Despite the disgusting play of late, please keep VOTING for your Phillies All-Stars!  VOTE up to 25 times per day, per email address! 

TV photos by Jenn

Phillies vs. Blue Jays 6/26/2009: Lineup and Game Chat

The Philadelphia Phillies look to get back on track as they head to Toronto to face the Blue Jays. Jimmy Rollins will sit for the second straight game as he tries to get himself together. Let's hope the Phillies can get their act together as well!

Tonight's lineups are below. Game chat is in the comments section.

Lineups 6/26/09:

Phillies:

1. Victorino CF
2. Utley 2B
3. Werth RF
4. Howard 1B
5. Mayberry LF
6. Feliz 3B
7. Coste DH
8. Bruntlett SS
9. Ruiz C

Hamels P

Blue Jays:

1. Scutaro SS
2. Hill 2B
3. Wells CF
4. Rolen 3B
5. Lind DH
6. Millar 1B
7. Rios RF
8. Barajas C
9. Bautista LF

Romero P