Archive for the 'Phillies previews' Category

Phillies vs. Astros

7:05 EST PM at Minute Maid Park

Jamie Moyer will make his first start of the season tonight in Houston. Moyer hopes to turn a solid spring into proof that he’s the man for the fifth spot in the rotation. The bad guys will throw pitcher Felipe Paulino, who according to ESPN, “posted a 7.86 ERA in losing seven straight starts [at one point last season].” That’s about all you need to know about good old Felipe.

The Phillies lineup will see no changes tonight, as Brian Schneider will once again catch in place of Carlos Ruiz.

You have to love him...

Phillies vs. Astros

8:05 PM EST at Minute Maid Park

The expectations of J.A. Happ this season haven’t been the most positive. Most critics point to last season’s success (12-4, 2.93 ERA) somewhat as smoke and mirrors. Happ will get the chance to start proving them all wrong tonight as the Phillies begin a four game series in Houston. After a pedestrian spring, Phillies fans can just hope that he has a better first outing than the other young starter, Kyle Kendrick.

The Phils will see the 25 year old righty, Bud Norris. With only 11 career starts, all coming last year, he posted a 6-3 record with a 4.53 ERA. Norris most likely will go after hitters with his high strikeout totals, so it will be key for the Phillies hitters to get to him early.

A young pitcher on a winless team is exactly what the back end of the Phillies order needs right now. With Ibanez at 1 for 11 through the first series, and Victorino not looking much better, the already potent offense still hasn’t come near clicking on all cylinders.

Happ college pic. F'ing classic...

Fun Phact – The picture above made my day. I hope it made yours as well…

Phillies vs. Nationals

Nationals Park, 1:05 PM EST

Well if you’re an Eagles fan like I am, the Phillies’ season could not have begun any sooner. Less than twenty-four hours after the Eagles dropped the bomb that they traded McNabb within the division, the perfect distraction falls into place (Coincidence? I think not).

Well you know what? F-them. It’s baseball season baby and honestly there is no move that the now second favorite Philly sports team could make to distract me. How was your holiday weekend? Trick question, it still hasn’t ended. Roy Halladay will take the mound in D.C., as Phillies fans will see for the first time in a while a true and proven “ace” on Opening Day. All we can hope for is an early Spring Training version Doc, as a couple of his starts lately have been far from perfect.

What about the Nationals? They suck. They don’t have a chance. Didn’t they win like four and a half games last season? Not so fast. All is fair the first couple weeks of baseball. The Nats definitely have some young talent in Ryan Zimmerman, and the first game of the season will be sure to draw a full stadium (I would hope). The Phils will see lefty John Lannan (9-13, 3.88 ERA last season). Interestingly enough, the Spring Training slumper Raul Ibanez feasts off Lannan, with seven hits in ten at bats, two of them homers. Sounds like a great way to open the season.

This team knows what’s going on. The expectations have been set and this team knows its potential. All we can hope is that they throw it straight in the trash can and play like a team who doesn’t deserve to be handed the division (because they don’t).

The likely Opening Day batting order:

1. Jimmy Rollins
2. Placido Polanco
3. Chase Utley
4. Ryan Howard
5. Jayson Werth
6. Raul Ibanez
7. Shane Victorino
8. Carlos Ruiz
9. Roy Halladay

Go get ‘em Phils.

Fun Phact – The Met’s will have “The Situation” from MTV’s Jersey Shore throw out the first pitch tomorrow at Opening Day. Oh my Lord…

Phillies vs. Houston

7:05 PM at Citizens Bank Park

Cole Hamels' (10-9, 4.11 ERA) wife, Heidi, because sometimes pictures of Cole get boring.

The Phillies could have been celebrating a division championship a couple days ago if it weren’t for the Astros. It was only a few weeks ago when the Phils got swept, beaten, mopped, mobbed, shelled, (insert your own here) in a four game series in Houston.

Cole Hamels will look to further defend his case for game one NLDS starter tonight against the ‘stros. Although he’s pitched “well,” Cliff Lee is doing a great job gift wrapping the spot for him. Cole looked just ok in his last start in Florida, giving up four in a game they eventually lost.

There’s not many better opposing pitchers to face when trying to close the magic number than Yorman Bazardo (0-2, 9.55 ERA, and looking so fresh in his profile picture). Apparently he played for the Phillies at some point, so feel free to clue me in on that one. Bazardo has slowly been lowering his ERA from his debut 27.00, making his third start tonight after a series of relief (The …Brad Lidge in the ninth… kind of relief). In his two starts he’s thrown 8.2 innings giving up 13 hits and 10 runs.

This is a game the Phillies should absolutely cruise through. Lately they’ve been looking much more like pretenders than contenders, but hey, the underdog role worked pretty well for us last year right?

Fun Phact – Cole first met Heidi when he asked for her autograph at a charity event.

Phillies vs. Brewers

7:05 at Miller Park

Kyle Kendrick (2-1, 2.70 ERA)

Only this time for Pedro Martinez.

Kendrick who has made his past two starts in place of J.A. Happ, went four shut-out innings in Atlanta last Friday. Pedro and the Phillies are likely playing it safe in anticipation of pitching the playoffs. Martinez left his last outing in the third inning due to neck stiffness.

The Brewers will righty Branden Looper (13-7, 5.12 ERA). Looper has given up 15 runs in his past three games (14.2 innings), including seven earned in his latest. That game against the Cubbies saw Looper go only four innings, and those seven runs came off of 10 hits.

The Phillies Magic Number stayed at four last night, and the Braves moved within 3 games of the Wild Card after winning their fifth straight today.

Fun Phact – We love comments at Phillies Phandom. It’s easy to sign up and get talking. Betcha didn’t know that!

Phillies vs. Brewers

8:05 p.m. at Miller Park

J.A. Happ (10-4, 2.77 ERA)

J.A. Happ will look to get in a couple more innings tonight as the Phils head to Milwaukee. Happ only went three frames last Thursday, as it was his first start back from a pretty minor injury.

Jeff Suppan (7-10, 4.76 ERA) went seven innings, giving up two in his last start against Houston.

Fun Phact – Brad Lidge makes Wagner look good…

Phillies vs. Marlins

7:10 PM at Land Shark Stadium

Hamels (10-9, 4.07 ERA)

Cole Hamels is pitching his best baseball of the year. Allowing only one run in each of his past two starts, Cole has accredited his second half push to, “finally acquire[d] the necessary arm strength.” As the days until a Phillies playoff berth begin to diminish, there is no better time that the Phillies would want the ace to peak.

Looking to burst his bubble tonight will be Marlins pitcher Rick VandenHurk (2-2, 4.24 ERA). The righty hasn’t pitched too bad this season, although he definitely allows an opportunity for runs to be scored with a healthy diet of walks and a 1.37 WHIP. VandenHurk has only averaged about five innings a game in nine starts this season, meaning that the Phillies will probably see a nice portion of Marlins relievers.

If Cole can continue to pitch well to finish the season, including tonight, the issue of the playoff rotation could become even more intriguing. Not only will the tail end be up for discussion(4 or 5 starters, Pedro/Jamie/Happ), but now the 1-2 will be interesting. Will Charlie stick with last years man and set up an easier matchup for Lee in a #2 spot? Or will the Cy Young stud be the man to take the mound to open the playoffs.

Only one things for sure, and that’s that I really need to knock on wood until we clinch.

Fun Phact – VandenHurk is from Holland!

VandenHurk's personal clog collection

Phillies vs. Braves

7:30 PM at Turner Field

J.A. Happ (10-4, 2.77 ERA)

What’s better than a five game win streak? A seven game win streak of course.

The Phillies and pitcher J.A. Happ will look to cool the smoking hot Braves, who have refused to surrender the division to the Phils down the stretch. No one really knows what to expect out of the young hurler tonight, who has missed his last two starts to injury. Happ is considered the front-runner for NL rookie of the year along with Sunday’s starter for Atlanta, Tommy Hanson.

Braves pitcher Tim Hudson (1-0, 3.63 ERA) will be making his fourth start this season since returning from the DL. His only win this year was on September 1, and his last outing has been his least impressive so far. Ryan Howard, Mr. September, has faired well off of Hudson in recent meetings. Shane Victorino (who will be in the line-up despite an illness) also has an OPS of 1.092 against the vet.

The Phillies who hadn’t lost in Atlanta last year have gone a under achieving 2-4 this season at Turner. This series has the potential to basically put the Braves out of contention, while at the same time pull close enough to make the race for the East very interesting.

Fun Phact - Tim Hudson has appeared on the food network show Paula’s Party. If you’ve never watch Paula, you don’t know what you’re missing. It really is a party.

Phillies vs. Nationals

7:05 PM at Citizens Banl Park

Cole Hamels (9-9, 4.21 ERA)

Will the Cole Hamels who won 2008 World Series MVP show up for tonight’s game? Based on his recent starts, he just may.

After giving up five runs total in his last four starts, including a four run outing in Houston, Cole is slowly warming up to the idea of pitching like an ace again. If he keeps it up, combined with Cliff Lee regaining Cy Young form, the Phillies could have an unbeatable 1-2 punch to finish the season.

Ross Detwiler (0-5, 6.17 ERA) will make just his second start since the All-Star break. The rookie is making his way back from the minors after a very slow start in the majors. He pitched two shutout innings against the Marlins last weekend before being pulled.

The Phillies bullpen have given up just one run in the last 26 innings.

Ben Francisco will start in place of Raul Ibanez tonight in left field.

Fun Phact – I miss Pat Burrell.

Phillies vs. Nationals

7:05 PM at Citizens Bank Park

Joe Blanton (9-7, 4.11 ERA)

Joe Blanton didn’t just get out pitched by Livan Hernandez last Thursday, he got lit up.

Joltin’ Joe couldn’t make it through four innings before he was yanked, as the Nationals put up an eight spot on one of our most consistent starters of the year. The loss broke Joe’s streak of 11 straight quality starts (six plus innings, no more than three earned runs), which included some memorable season moments like his showdown vs. Lincecum on the San Fran Bay.

Hernandez (8-10, 5.30 ERA) almost watched his win slip away last Thursday, as the Phillies got five runs in the ninth. The Phillies were down one with runners on the corners and one out when Ryan Howard grounded into a double play. Livan breathed a sigh of relief as his seven and a third, two earned outing didn’t go for naught. He hasn’t pitched much better than he did with the Mets since the Nats acquired him, going 1-2 and lowering his ERA by just .17.

Ryan Zimmerman has feasted off Joe Blanton in the 17 at-bats he’s had against him. Seven hits, two doubles, two homers to be exact. As the Nationals’ bread and butter, Zimmerman vs. Blanton is the match up to watch tonight.

With the Phillies win last night, they lowered their Magic Number (combination of either Phillies’ wins or second place team’s losses needed to clinch division) to 12 games.

Fun Phact - Livan Hernandez was the 1997 World Series MVP for the Florida Marlins.