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Rival fan base lashing out at ownership
While the Phillies have locked up their key pieces and brought in the best pitcher in baseball the New York Mets have done little to suggest they will compete this season. The team did acquire Jason Bay and is expecting a healthy return from the likes of Jose Reyes and Johan Santana, but that has done little to ease the nerves of the team’s fan base. The team is short on quality starters, and experience at first base and catcher. Meanwhile Luis Castio is still the starting second baseman.
In the last week fans have seen Ben Sheets, John Garland, Joel Pinero, and Bengie Molina signed away by other teams and now there is little, to nothing left on the market.
Here is a small sample of how Mets fans feel about their organization right now.
“In the final analysis, what the front office has done was cut the budget significantly while saying publicly they will spend what it takes….to just get by. Getting Bay was good, but they have done nothing else but pick up some cheap risk and retreads. Meanwhile our division rivals got stronger. There is no commitment to winning on the part of this ownership. It’s all a ruse.”
“the nats are strasburg and harper away from kicking the mets butt.”
“Why should I pay to see this team play”
“This current ownership and FO would screw up a 1 car funeral. Until they leave and professional management is brought in it will NEVER improve.”
About the ownership: “I wouldn’t trust those idiots to bag a McDonalds order right.”
On the Mets options this season: “1) trade the prospects for the best pitcher they can get
2) throw away this season and play with what they have.”
On the Nats signing Orlando Hudson instead of the Mets: “Awesome!!! You have a player that has wanted to be a Met for the past 2 years now and the Nats make the moves to get him! Yeah.. this team don’t deserve a player like that! The Mets will take the place of the Nats in dead last in the NL East! Way to go Mets! You can thank Omar for his brilliant move on Castillo as to why Hudson is not a Met.”
Season outlook: “This team will be lucky to win 75 games….But you should buy tickets because it is a new Stadium, there will be dedications to some former Mets, Omar/Fred spent 140 Mil, If you don’t go then you are not a “real fan” and the sadistic fans could watch Santana struggle to win 10 games because his team is soooooooo bad!”
It looks like not everyone is excited about Spring Training.
Three becoming the number for the Phillies
For the third time in a week the Phillies locked up one of their starters with a three year deal.
It is being reported that Carlos Ruiz and the team have agreed to an $8.85 million, three-year contract that avoids salary arbitration.
Ruiz joins Joe Balnton and Shane Victorino as members who have joined the three-year club last last few days.
Three has indeed been a magical number for the organization. When the team acquired ace Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays, they singed him to an extension that guaranteed to keep him in town for the next three years. The team then worked quickly to lock up Balnton, Victorino and Ruiz for what they hope will be three more years of success, including this year where they look to make their third trip to the World Series in — you guessed it — three years.
This is great news for Phillies fans as almost all of the starters will be in place until at least 2011 and most until 2012. Given the age of the core there is no reason to expect decline from the majority of the players and improvements are still possible. The one player who has yet to be locked up is Jayson Werth, who could taste the free agent market after the upcoming season. With the payroll already set to pass $140 million and not much coming off the books next season outside of Jamie Moyer’s $7 million it may be difficult to keep Werth, who appears on the verge of stardom.
Baseball is a business and it is impossible to keep all of the pieces together, but Ruben Amaro Jr. has done an excellent job of keeping the large majority of things the same.
Now all that is left is making sure the level of play remains the same.
The signing of Ruiz basically closes the book on the Phillies’ offseason. Last week the team added veteran — and I mean veteran — pitcher Jose Contreras, so the bullpen is pretty much set. I wouldn’t mind seeing another starter added to compete for the fifth spot in the rotation, but with the Phils maxed out on funds, anyone they bring in would be a long-shot at best.
With that said it would be hard to grade this offseason anything lower than a B+ with the only flaw being the decision not to roll the dice on keeping Cliff Lee for one more season and giving the team the best rotation in the game.
Halladay in, Lee out; prospects in, prospects out
Aces coming and going, prospects in and out, who said December isn’t baseball time?
The Phillies have reached an agreement that will bring Roy Halladay to Philadelphia from Toronto in exchange for prospects. Halladay has also agreed to a 3-year, $60 million contract, with a fourth-year option.
Meanwhile, Cliff Lee is headed to Seattle in a move being made to clear cash and restock the farm system.
So is it a good move or bad move? Did the Phillies give up too much or get a steal? Couldn’t the team have kept Lee for the season to form the greatest rotation in baseball?
Let’s discuss.
What the Phillies get: It is rare in sports that a team can acquire a player that is a sure thing. Halladay is exactly that. He sports a career record of 148-76 with a 3.43 ERA and a Cy Young to his record. Consider that all of those stats came in the offense-heavy American League and you can figure Holladay to do even better in the NL. He has never dealt with lingering injuries and consistently gives his team over 200 innings a season. He also had nine complete games and four shutouts last season. In short: He is the definition of a front line ace.
The Phillies also get a bunch of unknown in pitching prospects Phillippe Aumont and right-hander Juan Ramirez, as well as outfield prospect Tyson Gillies. Reading up on these players the verdict is pretty split. Some have said the Phillies basically got back in talent what they gave away to Toronto, while others feel that there is not a player in the bunch with the potential of Kyle Drabek, who is heading to the Blue Jays. Aumont (21) is considered the best of the bunch, but struggled in AA last year going 1-4 with a 5.09 ERA in 15 starts.
What they lose: Cliff Lee became Mr. Philadelphia in his short time with the Phillies. From his workman-like attitude to ability to dazzle on the mound, fans loved Cliff Lee. He did everything and more than the team could have asked for when they acquired him from Cleveland, highlighted by his 4-0 postseason record.
Kyle Drabek is the one prospect that people in Philly have been raving about for the last two years. Drafted in the first round in 2006, Drabek is 19-10 with a 3.70 ERA in his minor league career. In AA ball last here he pled up 150 strikeouts in 158 innings. Amaro always said he would not give up Drabek in any trade, including one for Halladay. He changed his tune and hopefully for the right reason
Michael Taylor was another top prospect and a guy that figured to be a replacement for Raul Ibanez in a couple of years. Last year he hit .320 with 20 home runs in AA, showing the talent the Phillies hoped for when they drafted him in 2007.
Travis D’Arnaud was considered more of a long-term project at the catching position and would have had little chance of breaking through a farm system already stocked at the position.
Verdict: As long as the Phillies can win another championship with Halladay leading the way it doesn’t matter if Drabek becomes a superstar. The Phillies want to win now and Halladay fits that bill. Trading away Lee doesn’t though. The Phillies are sticking to their story that they can’t push their payroll over $140 million but with all of the money made from the past two postseasons there is no reason to believe they couldn’t have scratched out another $9 million for Lee.
In the end, they gave up prospects and got an ace while they also gave up an ace to get prospects. No holes were filled, while none were created. For now one has to give this move at least a mild thumbs up for the fact that the man many consider the best pitcher in baseball is now wearing a Phillies uniform.
Halladay In Philly – Deal Could Be Close
MLB.com is reporting that Roy Halladay is in Philadelphia to take a physical and possibly to try to work out a contract extension. The Phillies would like to have an extension worked out with Halladay before completing a trade for the Blue Jays right hander. Halladay wants to pitch in Philadelphia and will waive his no-trade clause if the Phillies and Blue Jays can work a deal out.
Although it is unclear what package the Phillies are going to offer, one possibility being rumored is that the Phillies would first trade Cliff Lee for prospects and then flip those prospects to the Jays for Halladay. Lee is a free agent after the 2010 season and he has said he wants to test the free agent market rather than sign an extension during the season. Since Halladay has said he wants a trade done before Spring Training, the Blue Jays have likely moved off the package they wanted at the trade deadline when they required both J.A Happ and Kyle Drabek. Another possibility is that a third team has entered into the mix, possibly the Seattle Mariners who would acquire Lee from the Phillies while Halladay would go from the Jays to the Phillies and the Jays would get a mix of prospects from both the M’s and Phillies.
In other news, former Phillie Randy Wolf met the Milwaukee media today after signing a 3-year, $29.75 million dollar deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. Wolf’s contract is the 3rd largest in the club’s history for a pitcher. Wolf was 11-7 with a 3.23 era last year for the Dodgers in a career high 34 starts.
Free Agent John Lackey appears to be close to signing a 5 year, $85 million dollar deal to join the Boston Red Sox. Lackey was taking a physical today so a deal could be close.
Like a trade: Phillies take Schneider, Mets grab Coste
Nothing says “hot stove” like backup catcher signings!
While it’s not the kind of news that will get fans screaming in excitement about another World Series run, the Phillies addressed one of their needs on Tuesday, signing former Met Brian Schneider to be the team’s backup catcher.
While Schneider doesn’t bring much of a bat to Citizens Bank Park, he is a solid defensive catcher and is certainly an upgrade over Paul Bako. It is a homecoming of sorts for Schneider who played his high school ball at Northampton High School, near Allentown.
Last season he was one of the many Mets who suffered an injury during the season and underperformed when healthy. He hit just .219 in 51 games.
However, Schneider is a quality defensive cather, having thrown out more would-be base stealers than any other catcher in the game. While he doesn’t have the arm he did in the early part of the decade, he is sill serviceable.
Speaking of catchers, former Phillies’ fan favorite Chris Coste has traded places with Schneider, signing with the Mets on a 1-year deal. Although he is now playing for the rival of his former team, Coste made it clear that his he never wanted to leave the Phillies.
Below is a brief piece from an interview Coste had with Comcast SportsNet:
“It was the Mets,” Coste said. “It’s the last team I ever saw myself playing for. I knew I was going to accept it, but had to think about it for a few days. It wasn’t my choice to leave Philly,” Coste said. “I never wanted to leave Philadelphia, I will always consider myself a Phillie.”
For those of you keeping score, the Phillies bench now has four residents, with Ben Fransisco, Greg Dobbs and the newly acquired Juan Castro joining Schneider. A replacement for Matt Stairs has yet to be signed.
It is clear that the final bench player must have some pop in his bat (likely an outfielder), since Dobbs, Castro and Schneider do not fit that bill. On Thursday we will look at some of the candidates that could fill that roll.
In the meantime, who do you think the Phillies should add to the bench?
Should the Phillies take the Stairs?
There may not be a more exciting player to see come up to the plate than Matt Stairs.
When he swings, all of Citizen bank Park shakes. He swings for the fences with no outs or two outs and it doesn’t matter the score. He is looking for a fastball every time. And when he get’s one, he can send it a mile.
But at age 41, those swings producied a lot more misses than they did highlight reel dingers last season. He hit .198 and went hitless for a stretch of two months. Stairs said he still believes he can get it done and wants to play one more season.
The question is: Does Stairs deserve to be a member of the 2010 Phillies opening day bench?
The Phillies will likely start the season with a five man bench — two infielders, two outfielders and a catcher. As things currently stand, Ben Francisco and Greg Dobbs will occupy two of those spots, and a new catcher is likely to be brought in. We also know Stairs has little to offer defensively and Dobbs can’t play shortstop so another bench player will be brought in as a reserve infielder. That leaves one spot.
I think the Phillies will pass on bringing Stairs back. The reason being that he provides the illusion of power more than he provides actual power. In 103 at-bats last year Stairs hit five home runs. That is an average of less than one home run per 20 at-bats. While with the Phillies, Francisco also hit five home runs in 97 at-bats. We don’t look at Francisco as a big time power hitter, so why do we look at Stairs that way?
Yes Stairs has had great moments, (the 2008 NCLS home run, and 9th inning bombs against the Pirates and Rockies this season) but his poor average and uselessness in the field can not be ignored.
The Phillies vowed to upgrade the bench this offseason and if they plan to follow through with that splan, Stairs can not return. Besides, with Ryan Howard on the roster there promises to be no shortage of long home runs.
Yummmm….Gold Glove Update
I happened to be visiting Philly this past weekend for the first time in a while. I decided before I left that it was extremely important for me to take what I call the Pats vs. Gino’s Challenge. So, a buddy and I went into South Philly and first stopped by Pats. After following the directions printed on the building, we ordered our “Philly Wiz Wit” and of course cheese fries. I was very pleased. Not wasting anytime we walked across the street to Gino’s and after the fifteen-minute wait, we ordered two more “Philly Wiz Wits.” Although, I thought it was good, in my eyes it did not match up to Pat’s. Maybe the difference was Pats pouring on the whiz and Gino’s just smearing a little on the bread. Whatever the case, Pats won my challenge and I had to get an angioplasty. Let me hear ya Philly!!!
As expected Phil’s Short Stop Jimmy Rollins took home his 3rd consecutive Gold Glove Award on Wednesday. Teammate Shane Victorino secured his second straight award for his stellar defensive play in center field. One of the biggest keys to a good baseball team is to be strong up the middle and the Phil’s are definitely that with Ruiz, Rollins, Utley and Victorino.
The Phil’s, Cardinals and Dodgers dominated the awards by winning two Gold Gloves each. The Nationals and Padres also had players win Awards. Here is the entire list of award winners:
C: Yadier Molina
P: Adam Wainwright
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
2B: Orlando Hudson
SS: Jimmy Rollins
3B: Ryan Zimmerman
OF: Shane Victorino
OF: Michael Bourn
OF: Matt Kemp
Gold In Sight
Tomorrow the National League Gold Glove Award Winners will be announced. There is a good possibility that the trophy room will be “philled” with red and blue.
Jimmy Rollins with his Major-League best .990 fielding percentage will almost certainly win his 3rd straight Gold Glove, but he may not be alone. Shane Victorino and Chase Utley also have a good chance of joining Rollins. For Victorino, it would be his 2nd consecutive Gold Glove and for Utley his 1st. Carlos Ruiz, Pedro Feliz and Jason Werth are sure to receive some consideration. Stay Tuned….
The American League announced its Gold Glove winners earlier today:
P: Mark Buehrle
C: Joe Mauer
1B: Mark Teixera
2B: Placido Polanco
SS: Derek Jeter
3B: Evan Longoria
OF: Adam Jones
OF: Torii Hunter
OF: Ichiro Suzuki
How will Pedro’s time in Philadelphia be remembered
Wherever he has gone Pedro Martinez has elicited a lot of emotions from his team’s fan base and the fan base of the opposition. Some view Pedro as a fun, wacky guy who brings energy to a team and a stadium every time he takes the mound.
Others view him as a cocky, arrogant pitcher whose history of hitting batters makes him an intimidator.
But how will his two-month stay in Philadelphia be remembered?
The Phillies signed Pedro Martinez on July 5 to a modest 1-year/$1 million contract. The former Red Six and Mets pitcher had been out of baseball to that point, as his asking price of $5 million to start the season garnered little attention.
Shortly after the signing of Pedro, the Phillies traded for Cliff Lee, reducing the expected impact of Martinez. However, with Jamie Moyer struggling, the Phils gave Pedro is first start on August 12 against the Cubs.
A little over a month later, he finished his regular season with a 5-1 record with an ERA of 3.63, good enough to earn himself a spot in the postseason rotation.
After not pitching in the NLDS, Pedro pitched a 7-inning gem against the Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLCS. The bullpen would blow an inherited 1-0 lead, leaving him without a win.
However, the World Series was not kind to Pedro. Against his nemesis, the New York Yankees, Pedro went 0-2, including the deciding Game 6 loss in which he allowed four runs in just four innings.
It is unlikely Pedro will be resigned for next season. The Phillies are set in the rotation 1-through-4 and have Jamie Moyer under contract. There is also the chance that Kyle Kendrick earns his way back to the majors or that highly-touted prospect Kyle Drabek makes the roster.
So how will the future Hall of Famer’s short stint in Philly be remembered?
My guess is that fans will look at Pedro’s time with the team fondly. He gave the team more than anyone could have expected given the way things ended for him in New York the previous season. Sure he didn’t execute well enough in the World Series, but Brad Lidge and Cole Hamels’ shortcomings will be talked about much more going forward.
Pedro wasn’t great, but his two month stint at in Philadelphia did more good, than harm.
Hamels says he has no problem with Myers
All of that tension between Cole Hamels and Brett Myers has apparently been fabricated.
At least that’s what Hamels is saying.
In a recent article by the Philadelphia Inquirer Hamels said that he has no problem with Myers and that the situation at question was just a case of misinterpreted joking.
Hamels has drawn the ire of some Phillies fans after he was quoted after the Game 3 loss as saying “I cant’s wait for (the season) to end. It’s been mentally draining. At year’s end, you just can’t wait for a fresh start.”
It was then reported that prior to Game 5, Myers walked past Hamels in the clubhouse and said “I thought you quit?”
Hamels said that although he was not pleased with the comment at first, he now takes it as an innocent comment that was more of a joke and that the two are good friends.
You can either take this as the truth from a player who says his words were taken out of context, or a good job of PR after the mess he made over the weekend.
Either way, it should be enough to put a lid on the situation for at least a couple days. If the Phillies win the next two games and claim a second World Series, this will all be water under the bridge. If not, expect months of speculation on what really happened between the two teammates.
The entire Inquirer article can be read here:
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20091103_Hamels_confirms__Theres_no_problem_with_Myers.html
Phillies win Game 5, keep title hopes alive
Even with six run lead heading into the eighth inning it wasn’t easy for the Philadelphia Phillies.
In the end, though, Philly got exactly what it needed. Game Six is on the way.
Chase Utley pounded two home runs and Ryan Madson pitched a shaky ninth inning to close out an 8-6 victory for Philadelphia.
The Phillies offense got going, pounding out six runs over the first three innings off New York starter A.J. Burnett.
Phils’ ace Cliff Lee was in control until the eighth, when the Yankees knocked him out by plating three runs and making it an 8-5 game.
With the lead at three Charlie Manuel opted to stay away from struggling closer Brad Lidge and go with Madson. Although it wasn’t easy, Madson did the job and the World Series is going back to New York.
Tuesday will be an off day as Game 6 s slated for Wednesday night.
The Phillies are still down, but are very much alive.
This World Series isn’t over by a long shot.
Game Highlights:
- Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning, Utley hit a three-run home run that electrified the Citizens Bank Park crowd and gave the Phillies a 3-1 lead.
- Philadelphia kept the offense coming in the third. After Utley and Ryan Howard walked to lead off the inning, Jayson Werth ripped an RBI single that plated Utley. Raul Ibanez followed with an RBI single that chased A.J. Burnett after just two-plus innings. Carlos Ruiz then added an RBI groundout, giving the Phillies a 6-1 lead.
- Utley and Ibanez each hit a solo home run in the eighth inning to push the score to 8-2.
- Cliff Lee pitched seven strong innings, but faltered in the eighth, allowing three runs, two of which came on a Alex Rodriguez double.
- In the ninth, Jorge Posada greeted Madson with a double and Hideki Matsui to put runners on the corners. Representing the tying run, Derek Jeter bounced into a 4-6-3 double play that plated Jorge Posada, but put a big dent in the Yankees rally. With two outs Johnny Damon singled up the middle, bringing Mark Teixeira to the plate. Mired in a slump all World Series, Teixeira struck out to end the game.
Phils need Hamels to step up in Game 3
Pivotal Game 3 has arrived.
To say that Cole Hamels has been a disappointment this season would be an understatement. Coming off of a postseason where he was the NLCS and World Series MVP, big things were expected of the young left-hander. Those expectations were never met as Hamels went 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA. He consistently gave up big home runs and never quite found a rhythm. Even upon the Phillies’ return to the postseason, Hamels could not find his 2008 magic.
If he can find it tonight, all of those aforementioned stats will be forgotten.
Hamels takes the hill tonight as the Phillies host the Yankees in Game 3 of the World Series.
Opposing Hamels will be postseason veteran Andy Pettitte. With the series tied at 1-1, there are big impactions on tonight’s contest. If the Yankees win they will have the series lead with their ace C.C. Sabathia set to face Joe Blanton in Game 4, a matchup the Yanks undoubtedly feel good about. Meanwhile, if the Phillies win they will go into Game 4 with a load of confidence knowing that Cliff Lee will be waiting in Game 5 to close things out if they can find away past Sabathia.
Playing a part in the atmosphere will be the weather as showers are expected throughout the evening. The rain will certainly not quiet the Phils’ faithful who have helped the team to the point of dropping just one home postseason game in two years.
Pitching matchup: Andy Pettitte is 2-0 this postseason with a 2.37 ERA. In 11 lifetime World Series appearances, he is 3-4 with a 3.82 ERA. You know Pettitte will be relaxed as this is nothing new for him. As is the case with most veteran pitchers, the Phillies would be wise to get to them early as he has the capability to shut teams down if he gets a lead and a favorable strike zone.
Hamels has been ineffective so far in the playoffs, going 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA. Giving up the long-ball has been a problem and could be again tonight against a dangerous lineup. Charlie Manuel said they talked about using the curveball more, so we will see if that factors in his outing.
Game Time: 8:07
World Series offensive breakdown
We are now just one day away fro Game 1 of the World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees. There promises to be plenty of drama as these two teams face off in the World Series for the first time in 50 years.
Bellow is a breakdown of how the teams match up position-by-position.
First Base: This would be the marquee position with two players who are not only of All-Star caliber, but MVP worthy. Ryan Howard has been a monster year after year, producing 40-plus home runs and 140 RBIs a season. His defense has improved and he defines the word clutch. Most people credit Jimmy Rollins for being the engine of the team but it became clear this season that the Phillies would go as far as Howard takes them.
On the other side, Mark Teixeira has been as good as advertised. The Yankees paid him big money in the offseason and he delivered with 39 homers and 122 RBIs. He has also delivered Gold Glove play at first base. Howard’s knack for getting the big hit gives him a slight edge on offense, but Teixeira seems to save a run a game with his glove, making this a toss up.
Verdict: draw
Second base: Robinson Cano has developed into the type of players that could be a cornerstone for the Yankees for many years. He hits for average (.320) and power (25 home runs).
Chase Utley also had a strong regular season, though his average dipped to .282. Something just doesn’t seem quite right with his swing right now and he only has two RBIs in the postseason. Utley may just be the hardest-working player in baseball and if there is something wrong there is a good chance he will fix it.
Verdict: Slight edge Yankees
Shortstop: This was nowhere near Jimmy Rollins’ best year, but his second-half was certainly acceptable. Rollins is hitting just .244 in the postseason, but it was his two-run double in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the NLCS that all-but finished off the Dodgers.
Meanwhile Derek Jeter is having a career year, which is saying something given his track record. He hit .334 during the regular season and his playoff performances in the past have been well-documented. If Rollins was having a typical year this would be a tough call. Since he has struggled, the check mark has to go to the Yankees’ captain.
Verdict: Edge Yankees
Third base: Alex Rodriguez finally learned how to hit in the postseason. Like Howard, A-Rod has been an RBI machine with 12 and is hitting .438. Clearly he is making up for lost time.
Pedro Feliz has been a great defensive presence throughout his career and even with his age creeping up continues to play the position well. Offensively Feliz is not a big cog, but had a three-run homer against the Dodgers in the NLCS and has given the lineup great depth.
He’s just not A-Rod.
Verdict: Edge Yankees.
Catcher: Carlos Ruiz or “Chooch” has been a monster this postseason, both behind the plate and as a hitter. Ruiz is hitting .346 and has driven in seven from the eight-hole. His pitchers love throwing to him and he has become one of the best in the league when it comes to throwing out base stealers.
Jorge Posada is not the player he once was. He still had good numbers with 22 homers and a .285 average, but his shortcomings defensively have led to the Yankees using Jose Molina more than anticipated. In fact, the Phillies will likely see Molina in games that A.J. Burnett pitches.
Verdict: Edge Phillies.
Left Field: The Phillies could not have asked for more than what Raul Ibanez gave them this season. He was an NL MVP candidate the first half of the year and hit a career-high 34 home runs. Even at 33, his defense is not a shortcoming. “Rauuuul” instantly became a fan favorite and remains one.
The Yankees counter with Johnny Damon who can still swing the stick, but has nothing in terms of an arm in the outfield. He is a liability out there and is usually replaced in the late innings.
Note: Ben Fransisco will star in left field on the road and Ibanez will DH. We still list Ibanez as the left fielder because he will play there during the home games.
Verdict: Edge Phillies
Center field: Shane Victorino made the first of what is likely to be many All-Star game appearances this season. He led the team in several offensive categories, including hits (181), average .292 and steals 25. He also provided Gold Glove defense. Last season he introduced himself to all of baseball. This year he announced that he isn’t going anywhere.
Melky Cabrera didn’t quite meet the expectations he ha set for himself with a big 2008 season, but still hit a respectable .274 and is an outstanding defender. Cabrera has good speed, but can not compete with Victorino in that department. In fact, there is not one part of his game that is clearly superior to Victorino’s.
Verdict: Edge Phillies
Right field: What a player Jayson Werth has become. Finally healthy, Werth had a huge season and has kept it up in the postseason. Werth is the team-leader in home runs during the playoffs, knocking five out of the park. He is making opposing pitchers pay for pitching around Howard.
Few people would have predicted that Nick Swisher would be starting for the Yankees in the playoffs when the season started. Xavier Nady was the opening day starter but an injury erased his season after seven games. Swisher stepped in and stepped up. He is not the player Werth is, but the pop in his bat still makes him a threat.
Verdict: Edge Phillies
Designated hitter: Ben Fransisco is the extra bat added during games in New York. Seen as a throw-in in the Cliff Lee trade, Fransisco has been solid in limited action. He hit .278 on the year and is 0-for-4 in the playoffs. Matt Stairs could also see a game in this role with Ibanez playing left.
Hideki Matsui is on the south-side of his career, but can still come up with the big hit. He hits lefties and righties about the same and finished with 28 home runs and 90 RBIs.
Verdict: Edge Yankees.
There you have it, a pretty even matchup on paper. The Yankees get the edge of the infield, mostly due to A-Rod at third, while the rest of the infielders are pretty similar. The Phillies get a big edge in the outfield in both fielding and hitting. There is a reason all three players were All-Stars.
Check back later for the breakdown of the pitching matchups.
Late Night Heroics! Phils score amazing win
It is almost not fair.
Opposing closers just have no chance.
Jimmy Rollins crushed a two-run double with two outs in the ninth inning off closer Jonathan Broxton leading the Phillies past the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4, Monday night, giving them a commanding 3-1 lead in the NL championship series.
With Eric Bruntlett on second and Carlos Ruiz on first, Rollins lined a gapper to right-center that rolled all the way to the wall. It was clear from the second the ball hit the outfield grass that Ruiz was going to score without issue.
What a remarkable win for a team that has had a dozen of them over the last two seasons.
The Phils can advance to the World Series for the second-straight year with a win in Game 5 on Wednesday.
Cole Hamels, last year’s NLCS and World Series MVP, will take the mound and will be opposed by either Clayton Kershaw or Vicente Padilla — likely Padilla.
I don’t know what more a fan can ask for than what the Phillies have given. Even when the team is down there is no worry from the fan base anymore because of the way the team has battled back in the past.
The Dodgers had no chance in that ninth inning, even if they didn’t know it. Groove a fast ball to any of the Phillies’ hitters and they will make you pay. It was Rollins Monday night. It will be someone else on Wednesday.
At this point, I don’t know if Mariano Rivera and his vaunted cutter could stop the Phils. Then again I am not sure the Yankees will be in the World Series.
As for the Phils?
They are a sure thing. This series is over!
Phillies pound Dodgers to take 2-1 series lead
Now that was an absolute-LEE beautiful beating!
Led by the pitching of Cliff Lee and the hitting of – well – everyone, the Philadelphia Phillies put an old fashioned beat-down on the Los Angeles Dodgers Sunday night to take a 2-1 lead in the NLCS.
Lee was again amazing, allowing just three hits, while walking none in eight profound innings.
The Dodger hitters looked clueless at the plat all night.
Meanwhile the Phillies offense went to work early and often, scoring four runs in the first inning on a two run double by Ryan Howard and a two-run bomb to dead center by Jayson Werth.
At that point it was already over.
Citizen’s Bank Park was rocking from the very first pitch as “Beat L.A.” and “You took steroids” chants rang down on Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers.
Joe Torre looked helpless in the dugout, surely wishing he was back with the Yankees, a team that actually has a chance of getting to the World Series.
While it may be too early to say this series is over, it is not too soon to say emphatically that the Dodgers are in big trouble. They aren’t pitching, aren’t hitting and would be down 3-0 if Pedro got to finish his gem on Friday.
Tonight the Phillies see an old friend in Randy Wolf. I don’t know if we will see the return of “The Wolf Pack” but I do know Randy will see plenty of hungry wolves in the form of Phillies hitters.
Philadelphia cut Los Angeles deep last night and can smell the blood. These Dodgers want no part of the cold weather. They looked miserable and they played miserable.
In the past the Phillies have struggled in games after they score a lot of runs. It has been a running joke after the Phillies blow an opponent out to say “We’ll I guess we’re getting shutout tomorrow.”
But not this team, not now.
The Phillies learned all about closing last year and today they will take the next step towards advancing to their second-straight World Series.
And by the looks of last night’s game, there is little the Dodgers can do about it.
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