Houston a house of horrors for Phillies

Tuesday September 8, 2009 • 6 Comments 

The only thing missing in Houston the last four days was the likes of Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Kruger.

Minute Maid Park was a house of horrors for the Phillies.

Just about everything that could go wrong, went wrong for the NL East leaders, getting swept in a four-game series for the first time since August of 2008. J.A. Happ hurt is oblique, Cliff Lee stunk it up, Brad Lidge blew his 10th save and the offense was anemic.

They lost three games by one run, dropping opportunities to put away the Florida Marlins and Atlanta Braves, who are still lingering a half-dozen games back.

The Phils are a team that has earned a reputation for playing loose, however following the sweep Manuel questioned whether his players have been tightening up.

“I don’t know what it is, if they’re tight or whatever,” Manuel said. “They have no reason to be tight, but I kind of sense that’s what it is.”

Or, it may just be the stadium. For whatever reason, the Phillies have been unable to find any success in Houston. They have won about 25 percent of their games there in the last five years – a time period where Houston has not exactly been a juggernaut.

The good news came from Raul Ibanez, who, after being marred in a 10-75 slump, connected on a home run on Monday. More of that is welcomed.

The even better news: The Phillies are done playing in Houston this season.

With Philadelphia still comfortably atop the NL East standings, there isn’t too much panic about the recent slide. Another bad week and that will change.

For the Phils to finish the 209 season the way they did the ’08 campaign they will have to go into the playoffs with swagger. The Cardinals certainly have that right now, as do the Rockies. The Phillies still have time to get it back and the schedule looks ready to help. The next six games will come against the Nationals and Mets. If that won’t cure the team’s ills, I’m not sure what will.

Now, if they can only find a way to figure out Minute Maid Park.



Phillies Beat Braves Take Two Of Three

Sunday August 30, 2009 • Leave a Comment 

Last night we found out that Cliff Lee wasn’t really Superman after all as the Braves showed up with some Kryptonite, smashing three homers off the new found Phillies ace.  Lee gave up more runs in the fifth inning than he had allowed in all five of his starts since joining the Phillies.  It was the first time in two years that he had allowed two homers in an inning and three homers in a game as the Braves battered the Phillies on their way to a 9-1 victory.

With Saturday nights debacle behind them, the Phillies sent Joe Blanton out to face the Braves and Jair Jurrjens in front of a national audience on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcast.  The Braves struck first as Martin Prado took Blanton deep with one out in the first inning to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.

Jurrjens was tough as he put down the first seven Phillies in order before allowing a double to Carlos Ruiz with one out in the 3rd but Jurrjens worked out of the inning by retiring  Blanton on a groundball and Rollins on a flyball to centerfield.   The Phillies would finally get on the board in the fourth courtesy of Chase Utley’s 29th homerun which curled just inside the rightfield foul pole.  It was the first homer ever allowed by Jurrjens at Citizens Bank Park.  Only Esteban Loaiza, Chad Billingsly and Tim Redding had made at least four starts at CBP and not allowed a homer.  Chase took Jurrjens off that list and tied the score at 1-1.

The Phillies blew a big opportunity in the fifth inning as they loaded the bases with nobody out and Joe Blanton worked the count to 2-2 before hitting a liner to first baseman Adam LaRoche who easily doubled off Ruiz.  Jimmy Rollins again ended an inning, this time by grounding out to Prado as the faithful began to boo the missed opportunity.

Two innings later the Phillies were given another opportunity and this time they did not disappoint.   After Ibanez walked to lead off the seventh (his second leadoff walk of the game) Manuel had Feliz try to bunt Ibanez over to second.  Feliz laid down a great bunt which Braves third baseman Chipper Jones fielded and made a bad off balance throw that LaRoche couldn’t handle.  The error put Ibanez at third and Feliz at second for Carlos Ruiz.  Ruiz sent a flyball to deep left field that Garret Anderson got a glove on but couldn’t hold onto.  Ruiz’ second double of the game gave the Phillies a 3-1 lead.   Ruiz would be left stranded as pinch hitter Stairs struck out, Victorino lined out to right and Rollins flied out to left.  Blanton left the game allowing just 1 run on 3 hits over 7 innings while striking out 7.  Madson relieved Blanton and did not record an out and left after Matt Diaz scored on a Chipper Jones single making the score 3-2 and left Braves runners first and second with nobody out.  Scott Eyre relieved Madson and got McCann to ground into an rather unconventional second to short to third double play to erase Prado and Jones. This was another great play by Jimmy Rollins , who also  made a spectacular catch on a Diaz liner to start the game.  Rollins took Utley’s throw and alertly cut down Prado going to third.  With McCann on first, Eyre got Garret Anderson to ground out to second base.   Brad Lidge, again pitching rested, came on and worked a perfect ninth for his 27th save and second in a row since recording his 9th blown save Tuesday in Pittsburgh.

Blanton got the win to improve to 9-6 on the season while Jurrjens fell to 10-9.  This was the first time the Phillies have beaten the Braves righthander in his short career.   The Phillies will enjoy tomorrow off before hosting the Giants, who are now tied with the Colorado Rockies for the  NL Wild Card.



Ibanez – Blogger Comments Just Not Right

Friday June 12, 2009 • Leave a Comment 

I was shocked to hear on the radio the other day that someone wrote in a blog that he thought Raul Ibanez of the Phillies was using some sort of performance enhancing substance.   Maybe it was a disgruntled Mets fan – I admit I haven’t read the blog nor will I give any kind of creedence to it.

I guess I need to thank Barry, Sammy, Mark, Roger and all the other guys we’ve suspected or caught using some sort of substance so that now any time a player is having a year that appears to be better than his “norm” we immediately jump to the conclusion that the player must be cheating.   Its simply wrong.

Ibanez has played his entire career in the American League playing in Kansas City and Seattle.  Although he was with the Mariners during their last few years in the offensive-friendly Kingdome he was no more than a bench player on teams that featured Griffey Jr., A-Rod, Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner.    As a regular, he has played mainly in Royals Stadium and Safeco Field, both of which are not hitters paradises by any stretch of the imagination.  Now Raul is playing in one of the most offensive minded stadiums in Philly, so its only natural that his power numbers would jump up a bit.  He did hit 33 homers three years ago in Seattle while driving in 123 runs.

I think that before we jump to unfounded conclusions we need to first examine the entire picture and leave a guy like Raul alone and just enjoy his performance.