NL East Chatter » Andrew Miller

Oct

29

Arizona Fall League

Filed Under (NL East Chatter) by dangeluzzi on 29-10-2009

Tagged Under : Andrew Miller, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Brandon Hicks, Bryan Petersen, C.C. Sabathia, Domonic Brown, Drew Storen, Edgar Garcia, Florida Marlins, Freddie Freeman, Jeff Lyman, Lee Hyde, Mesa Solar Sox, Mike Stanton, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, Peoria Javelinas, Peoria Saguaros, Philadelphia Phillies, Phoenix Desert Dogs, Reese Havens, Ruben Tejada, Scottsdale Scorpions, Steve Susdorf, Surprise Rafters, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals

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I know, I know. This is a big day in the National League East. The Philadelphia Phillies dismantled the Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series, in the Bronx, against C.C. Sabathia. The same pitcher they dismantled last year when he pitched for the Brewers. It begs the question, is the National League East the best division in baseball? Admittedly, it is early, and the Yankees could win four in a row and make this post irrelevant, but if you compare the division to the American League East, tell me that the teams do not match up? The Phillies and the Yankees, the Mets and the Red Sox, the Marlins and Rays, the Braves and Blue Jays, and the Nationals and Orioles. I guess that is a post for another time, but it will be an interesting off season argument.

Now on to the AFL:

The Phoenix Desert Dogs (Nationals) defeated the Peoria Javelinas 11-6 yesterday. The only Desert Dog from the National League East who saw any action was Drew Storen who pitched one inning giving up one hit and striking out a batter.

The Mesa Solar Sox (Marlins) routed the Scottsdale Scorpions (Phillies) by a final count of 12-5. Bryan Petersen led the way for the Solar Sox with a 2-5 effort, scoring two runs, driving in two and hitting a homerun. Steve Susdorf tried to keep the Scorpions close with a 2 run homerun in a 1-2 effort but Domonic Brown (0-5, 2K) and Edgar Garcia (2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER (4R)) failed to help him out.

Steve Susdorf, Scorpions

Future stars of the National League East keep bowing out of the AFL as the Marlins shut down Mike Stanton due to a sore back. Prior to this, Stanton was hitting a scorching .478 for the Solar Sox. The Marlins do expect Stanton to be ready for Spring Training.

Mike Stanton, Solar Sox

Lastly, the Peoria Saguaros (Braves) blanked the Surprise Rafters (Mets) 9-0. Freddie Freeman (3-4, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB) and Brandon Hicks (2-4, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 BB) led the hit parade while Jeff Lyman (1 IP, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K) and Lee Hyde (1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) helped to keep the Rafters off the scoreboard. The Rafters received a 2-4 day from Reese Havens and a 1-4 from Ruben Tejada.

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Â Â Todays actions will see the Phoenix Desert Dogs take on the Peoria Saguaros. The Mesa Solar Sox will give Andrew Miller the start against the Javelinas, and the Rafters will take on the Scorpions.

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Oct

19

Arizona Fall League Update

Filed Under (NL East Chatter) by dangeluzzi on 19-10-2009

Tagged Under : Andrew Miller, Arizona Fall League, Atlanta Braves, Brandon Hicks, Bryan Petersen, Chris Marrero, Danny Espinosa, Domonic Brown, Drew Storen, Edgar Garcia, Eric Niesen, Florida Marlins, Freddie Freeman, Garrett Parcell, Greg Burns, Ike davis, Jason Heyward, Jay Buente, Jay Voss, Jeff Lyman, Jeff Mandel, Jenrry Mejia, Josh Stinson, Josh Wilkie, Lee Hyde, Lucas Duda, Matt Dominguez, Mesa Solar Sox, Michael Cisco, Michael Schwimer, Mike Minor, Mike Stanton, New York Mets, Peoria Saguaros, Philadelphia Phillies, Phoenix Desert Dogs, Reese Havens, Ruben Tejada, Scott Mathieson, Scott Moviel, Scottsdale Scorpions, Sean Rooney, Stephen Strasburg, Steve Susdorf, Surprise Rafters, Troy Hanzawa, Tuffy Gosewisch, Washington Nationals

The National League East has transplanted west in the sunshine of Arizona for the moment, except of course for the Philadelphia Phillies who are still alive in the playoffs. Here is a statistical recap of the players the National League East sent to the Arizona Fall League:

Phoenix Desert Dogs:
(featuring the Washington Nationals)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â pdd_logo_2

Danny Espinosa, 2B: .200 AVG; 2 R; 4 RBI; 2 BB; 2 K; 1 SB
Chris Marrero, 1B: .429 AVG; 1 R; 1 2B; 1 HR; 2 RBI; 3 BB; 1 K
Stephen Strasburg, P: 1 W; 3.1 IP; 2 H; 1 BB; 2 K; 0 ER
Drew Storen, P: 2.0 IP; 4 H; 2 R; 0 ER; 0 BB; 2 K
Jeff Mandel, P: 1 IP; 1 H; 0 ER; 0 BB; 0 K
Josh Wilkie, P: 1 IP; 3 H; 4 R; 0 ER; 2 BB; 2 K
Sean Rooney: Has Not Played

Surprise Rafters:
(featuring the New York Mets)

Lucas Duda, OF: .400 AVG; 1 2B; 1 R; 2 RBI, 1 BBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â surpriserafterslogo
Ruben Tejada, SS: .385 AVG; 1 2B; 5 R; 3 RBI; 1 BB; 3 K; 2 SB
Ike Davis, 1B: .357 AVG; 2 2B; 2 R; 8 RBI; 1 HR; 0 BB; 4 K
Reese Havens, SS: .000 AVG; 1 BB; 3 K
Josh Stinson, P: 2 IP; 2 H, 2 ER; 1 HR Allowed; 2 BB, 1 K
Scott Moviel, P: 1 W; 2 IP; 0 H; 0 ER; 1 HB; 3 BB; 0 K
Jenrry Mejia, P: 1.0 IP; 1 H; 3 ER; 3 BB; 1 K
Eric Niesen, P: 1 IP; 0 ER; 0 H; 0 BB; 0 K

Mesa Solar Sox
(featuring the Florida Marlins):

Mike Stanton, OF: .533 AVG; 2 R; 2 RBI; 1 HR; 2 BB; 6 K; 3 SBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Bryan Petersen, OF: .400 AVG; 3 R; 2 2B; 1 RBI; 1 HR; 0 BB; 1 K mesasolarsoxlogo
Matt Dominguez, 3B: .154 AVG; 2 R; 0 RBI; 0 BB; 3 K
Greg Burns, OF: .000 AVG; 2 BB; 1 K
Andrew Miller, P: 2 IP; 1 H; 1 ER; 3 BB; 2 K
Jay Voss, P: 2 IP; 2 H; 3 ER; 1 HR Allowed; 2 BB; 3 K
Garrett Parcell, P: 1.2 IP; 5 H; 3 R; 0 ER; 0 BB; 3 K
Jay Buente, P: 1 IP; 2 H; 2 R; 1 ER; 0 BB; 0 K

Peoria Saguaros:
(featuring the Atlanta Braves):

Jason Heyward, RF: .286 AVG; 3 R; 3 2B; 1 RBI; 2 BB; 1 K; 2 SB peoriasaguaroslogo
Brandon Hicks, SS: .231 AVG; 1 R; 0 BB; 3 K
Freddie Freeman, 1B: .143 AVG; 0 R; 0 RBI; 2 BB; 3 KÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Jeff Lyman, P: 0-1; 2.1 IP; 6 H; 6 ER; 2 HR Allowed; 4 BB; 2 K
Mike Minor, P: 2.0 IP; 1 H, 1 R; 0 ER; 2 BB: 0 K
Lee Hyde, P: 2.0 IP; 1 H; 0 R; 1 BB; 4 K

Scottsdale Scorpions
(featuring the Philadelphia Phillies):

Tuffy Gosewisch, C: .444 AVG; 0 R; 0 RBI; 0 BB; 3 K
Domonic Brown, OF: .300 AVG; 2 R; 3 2B; 4 RBI; 1 HR; 4 BB; 3 K
Steve Susdorf, OF: .077 AVG; 1 R; 1 RBI; 1 HR; 1 BB; 2 K
Troy Hanzawa, SS: .000 AVG; 1 R; 1 BB; 1 K scottsdalescoprionslogo
Edgar Garcia, P: 1-1; 4.0 IP; 4H; 4 R; 3 ER; 3 BB; 4 KÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Michael Cisco, P: 2 IP; 1 H; 0 ER; 2 BB; 3 K
Michael Schwimer, P: 2.0 IP; 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Scott Mathieson, P: 2 IP; 0 H; 0 ER; 0 BB; 2 K

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Jul

28

Chatter Up! Inaugeral Edition – Braves @ Marlins 7-28-09 to 7-31-09

Filed Under (Chatter Up) by mrose on 28-07-2009

Tagged Under : Adrian Gonzalez, Alfonso Soriano, Andrew Miller, Anibal Sanchez, Atlanta Braves, Braves Baseball Blog, Burke Badenhop, Cameron Maybin, Chatter Up, Chipper Jones, Chris Volstad, Cody Ross, Colorado Rockies, Dan Uggla, Derek Lowe, Fishguts, Florida Marlins, Hanley Ramirez, Jair Jurrjens, Jeremy Hermida, Josh Johnson, Josh Willingham, Kenshin Kawakami, Larry Benfest, Matt Lindstrom, Nate McClouth, NL East Chatter, Philadelphia Phillies, Rick VandenHurk, Ricky Nolasco, Roy Halladay, Sean West, Tommy Hanson, Wild Card, Yunel Escobar

Welcome to the first edition of NLEC’s Chatter Up!Â This will be a normal occurrence when two divisional teams play each other.Â I (or others) will ask questions of the affiliate blogs and their writers for the teams which are going against each other during that series.Â These questions can be in regards to the divisional rival or to the state of that team themselves.Â I welcome guest questions for upcoming series via email at mrose@nleastchatter.com or just leave comments/questions in the comment section!Â We will begin this Chatter Up! with the Braves visiting the Marlins starting tonight, July 28th in South Florida.Â The Series Preview for this week has more on the series, but lets get right to the questions.Â As in a normal game, the road team will lead off, with the home team getting last licks.Matt R. of NLEC will address Matt Fournier of The Braves Baseball Blog, followed by addressing Wally Londo of FishGuts.

Matt R(NLEC): Lets start with the trade deadline.Â What do you feel the Braves need to do this week to give them a shot at a playoff birth?Â Given that answer, what WILL the Braves do, knowing the moves they already have made, and do you think the Braves could ever possibly regret the trades made so far?

Matt F(BB): If I’ve said it once I’ll say it again they need a big bat. While McLouth was good then still need some more pop in the lineup. An Adrian Gonazalez type player would be nice (probably not going to happen). It couldn’t hurt to look at another closer. Soriano has done well, but I don’t trust his health.

Matt R(NLEC):Comparatively, the Braves have an “old” starting staff when they trot out Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez and Kenshin Kawakami compared to the Marlins.Â I would imagine those three (Kawakami being unknown) will handle the innings as they pile on, but what do you expect from impressive rookie Tommy Hanson?Â Â Will the Braves look to curve his innings, or go pedal to the metal hoping for a playoff birth?

Matt F(BBB): I think the sky is the limit for this kid. He already is 5-1 with 2.95 ERA and 37 K’s. As far as curving his innings I don’t think they’ll do much of that. I mean he was an MLB ready prospect so therefore they will use him to his fullest. That being said I don’t think they will overwork him. I don’t know if that makes any sense, but it’s the only way I know how to explain it.

Matt R(NLEC): As it seems the way its going for all NL East Teams this year, the hot streaks sometimes give false hope.Â Do you really believe this team is a playoff contender this year, or do you see them fading back come September and possibly playing spoiler?

Matt F(BBB): As far as the playoffs this year I’m highly optimistic, but I feel with the way the Phillies are playing and the way some other NL teams are playing that they should look towards next year. Hopefully I will be biting my tongue though. And for them falling back in September I don’t see it happening. I don’t see the pitching fading away, the only thing that worries me is the consistency of the offense. I think they will be able to sustain for the whole year.

Matt R(NLEC): So far this season the Marlins have taken 3 of 5 with 13 to be played in the final 2+ months, with it seemingly being a battle between the two teams for 2nd and for the possible wild card, what do the Braves need to do in this series to begin securing the that place?

Matt F(BBB): They must jump all over the Marlins weak pitching staff early and often. The pitching will be there for the Braves, so it is a must that they exploit the Marlins weak pitching staff.

Matt R(NLEC): What Marlins pitcher and hitter do you feel will be the biggest challenge this weekend?

Matt F(BBB): The pitcher that scares me the most is obviously the ace Josh Johnson. Great pitcher, who scares any team. And for the hitter it would have to be the great Hanley Ramirez.

Thanks Matt! Now, moving on to FishGuts and Wally

Matt R(NLEC): Lets start with the trade deadline.Â What do you feel the Marlins need to do this week to give them a shot at a playoff birth?Â Given that answer, what WILL the Marlins do, knowing their management and referencing the earlier FishGuts article, why would they think of trading Cody Ross?

Wally(FG): To really make a run at the playoffs, the Marlins need to add either an impact bat or starting pitcher. Roy Halladay is the pie in the sky dream, but that probably isn’t realistic, given the cost in money and prospects for a team that values those two things above all else.
Realistically, the team should at least add Josh Willingham kind of bat, though Larry Beinfest doesn’t seem like the type of guy who will trade back for a guy he gave up on in the offseason.
As for Cody, the only reason you trade him is if you are out of it, because he has more value than anyone else. However, he probably has more value to the Fish than in a trade, so I’d hope they don’t do it. He’s very good offensively and extremely underrated in the field.

Matt R(NLEC): Looking today, the Marlins extremely young and inexpensive pitching staff is 8th in the NL overall, which is very impressive.Â Do you expect that throughout the remainder of the season this will take a dive, or do you feel though they are young, they can handle the innings as they pile up and the possible pressure of a post-season run?

Wally(FG): The pitching has actually been infuriating outside of Josh Johnson. Chris Volstad’s home run problems have been stupefying, and Ricky Nolasco, one of the best pitchers in baseball last year, hasn’t been able to put it together for more than a few starts.
If Volstad and Nolasco can get to where they were last year for the stretch run, adding a pitcher might be redundant, because Sean West, Andrew Miller, Rick Vandenhurk, Burke Badenhop and Anibal Sanchez in some kind of order should be able to sustain the back end of the rotation.
I’m an optimist at heart, so I think they’ll actually be better from here on out than they have been up to now.

Matt R(NLEC): As it seems the way its going for all NL East Teams this year, the hot streaks sometimes give false hope.Â The Marlins started out the season 11-1, then looked horrible for a few months before their late resurgence.Â Do you really believe this team is a playoff contender this year, or do you see them fading back come September and possibly playing spoiler as they do so well.

Wally(FG): There’s really no reason to think the Marlins aren’t at least as good as the Braves, Rockies, and any of the other wild card contenders, they just haven’t been able to get it together. I’m pretty much willing to concede the division, but 3.5 games is nothing in the Wild Card, and if they can put together a good month and a half, they can do it.
Realistically, there’s too many teams to beat out to say I’m confident, but you always have to believe as a fan. Dan Uggla, Jeremy Hermida, Ricky Nolasco, Chris Volstad, and Matt Lindstrom have wildly underperformed, and we could see Cameron Maybin come up soon and catch fire with how he’s been at AAA.

Matt R(NLEC): So far this season the Marlins have taken 3 of 5 with 13 to be played in the final 2+ months, with it seemingly being a battle between the two teams for 2nd and for the possible wild card, what do the Marlins need to do in this series to begin securing the that place?

Wally(FG): Pitch.
The Braves can pitch, but they struggle scoring runs. If we can shut them down, we can score enough to take them down. Chipper and Yunel seem to be the only guys to worry about given their careers against us, so if you can take care of them, you effectively silence their bats.
I do think the Marlins are a more complete team than the Braves, and I think we’ll have a good shot to take at least 8 of the final 13 against them, and hopefully put them away for good.

Matt R(NLEC): What Braves pitcher and hitter do you feel will be the biggest challenge?

Wally(FG): Jurrjens is the guy we go against in the first game and he’s a guy who can give the Marlins, but I’m more worried about Kawakami. We scored 4 against him in 6 innings the first time we faced him, but he’s the type of guy we always seem to struggle against.
Chipper Jones might be getting up there in age, but he is the 2nd greatest switch hitter of all time, and he’s got a .939 career OPS against the Marlins so he’s always the guy you worry about.

I hope everyone enjoyed the first Chatter Up! segment, and as I mentioned, please feel free to email any recommend questions or comments about the segment to mrose@nleastchatter.com or go to this forum topic and post a reply.

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Jul

21

Marlins Player News: Miller down, Gaby Sanchez up

Filed Under (Marlins Player News) by mrose on 21-07-2009

Tagged Under : Andrew Miller, Florida Marlins, Gaby Sanchez, New Orleans

After the game Monday, the Marlins sent the struggling starter Andrew Miller to AAA New Orleans according to the Fish Bytes blog in the Miami Herald. Miller had been struggling in his last few starts.
Gaby Sanchez is 25 years old and had hoped to make the team out of spring training. He is batting .289 with 9 home runs at AAA this year.

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Jul

20

NL East Daily Recap from 7-19-09

Filed Under (Daily Recap) by mrose on 20-07-2009

Tagged Under : Adam Dunn, Alfonso Soriano, Andrew Miller, Atlanta Braves, Centerfieldgate, Chase Utley, Chicago Cubs, Emilio Bonifacio, Fernando Nieve, Fishguts, Florida Marlins, Garret Mock, J.A. Happ, Jake Fox, Javier Vazquez, Jeff Francouer, Jorge Cantu, Kevin HArt, national league east, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Phillies Phandom, Raul Ibanez, The Braves Baseball Blog, The REal Dirty Mets, Washington Nationals, Yunel Escobar

Happ sparkles again

In Miami, the Phillies were looking for a sweep in what was originally slated to be a four game set against the Marlins.Â They sent the undefeated J.A. Happ to the mound, looking for his seventh win without a loss and the team’s eighth straight win.Â Happ(7-0) continued to be great, as he went seven innings only allowing five hits and walking one while giving up zero runs, lowering his season ERA to 2.68.Â He got all the runs he needed in the second inning as the Phillies took a three to nothing lead on an Utley HBP and a Raul Ibanez two run double.Â The Phillies added two more insurance runs throughout the game en route to a 5-0 win. Phillies Phandom has all your Phillies info.

The Marlins offense once again sputtered against the Phillies as they fell seven games back of them in the National League East.Â Starter Andrew Miller(3-5) couldn’t get through three innings as he gave up six hits and four runs and walking four while also hitting a batter.Â As mentioned earlier, the offense managed no runs, but Bonifacio and Cantu both had two hits each.Â Check out FishGuts for more information regarding the Marlins.

Nieve decides to join the OTHER Mets team

The Mets went into Sunday’s game off a solid team effort on Saturday afternoon and with a shot to split the four game set with the rival Braves in Atlanta.Â Things didn’t start well for the Mets as starter Fernando Nieve went down with what looks to be a serious right leg injury in the second inning while trying to leg out an infield hit.Â Tim Redding(1-4) came in and worked three innings while giving up five runs, but only two were earned, as the Mets went on to lose 7-1.Â New Met and former Brave Jeff Francouer got the only RBI for the Mets with a third inning RBI single.Â The Mets offense again was silent against the Braves pitching staff.Â The Mets are now nine games back of first place, and be sure to check out The Real Dirty Mets Blog for all your Mets information.

The Braves got another solid start from Javier Vazquez and a break out game from Yunel Escobar.Â Vazquez(7-7) went seven strong innings only giving up the single run in the third inning while allowing a total of six hits and five strike outs.Â Yunel Escobar went three for four with four rbi and a run scored to lead the Braves to the three of four series victory over the Mets.Â Check out The Braves Baseball Blog for more information on the Bravos.

Its rough, eh Zimm?

The last place Nationals wish they could have a streak like the first place Phils have.Â The Nationals have now lost five straight and nine of their last ten, even while making many roster moves and getting a new manager.Â Yesterday, the Cubs completed a four game sweep by winning 11-3 in Washington, fueled by a seven run fourth inning.Â Garret Mock(0-3) who got the start for the Nats only lasted 3.1 innings but gave up eight hits and seven runs(four earned) in taking the loss.Â A bright spot for the Nationals was another home run for Adam Dunn, his 24th of the season, but there wasn’t much else in this game.Â Check out Centerfieldgate for more commentary on the Nats.

Rookie Jake Fox had a great game for the Cubs, going 3-5 with four RBI, two runs scored including a home run.Â Soriano added another home run for the Cubs in support of starter Kevin Hart.Â Kevin Hart(1-1) went five innings giving up two earned runs and five hits to get the victory.

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Jul

16

NL East Series Preview for 7-16-09 to 7-19-09

Filed Under (Series Preview) by mrose on 16-07-2009

Tagged Under : Andrew Miller, Atlanta Braves, Brendan Donnelly, Carlos Zambrano, Centerfieldgate, Chicago Cubs, Chris Volstad, Cole Hamels, Derek Lowe, Fernando Nieve, Fishguts, Florida Marlins, Garrett Mock, J.A. Happ, Jair Jurrjens, Jamie Moyer, Javier Vazquez, Jeff Francoeur, Jim riggleman, Joe Blanton, Johan Santana, John Lannan, Jordan Zimmermann, Josh Johnson, Kenshin Kawakami, Luis Ayala, Manny Acta, Mike Pelfrey, New York Mets, Oliver Perez, Pedro Martinez, Philadelphia Phillies, Phillies Phandom, Pittsburgh Pirates, Rich Harden, Ricky Nolasco, Scott Olsen, St. Louis Cardinals, Ted Lilly, The Braves Baseball Blog, The Real Dirty Mets Blog, Washington Nationals, Wild Card

When we last left the Philadelphia Phillies(48-38, 1st in NL East) they were heading into a weekend series against the Pirates on quite a roll. That didn’t stop as they swept the Pirates, including a dramatic come from behind victory on Saturday night coming from five down in the ninth to win.Â They are 9-1 now after allowing the Marlins to tie them for first and have extended their lead to four games in the division.Â Five of their players did not get much of an All-Star BREAK as they were sent to participate in the game in St. Louis.Â The Phillies hope to continue their roll and march toward a third division title in the second half.Â Check out Phillies Phandom for more Philadelphia insight.Over at Fishguts, they provide this preview:

The Marlins (46-44, 2nd in NL East 4GB) sit four games back from first place and can make up some serious ground right away.Â The Marlins have struggled thus far versus the Phillies going 2-4 on the season, with the Phillies getting a series sweep back in May at Philadelphia. The four game set will kick off at Land Shark Stadium and both teams will have a bit of a different look since last seeing each other. As of today the Phillies have added Pedro Martinez to the roster and then proceeded to place him on the disabled list with a mild shoulder strain. For the Marlins, they have added some bullpen depth calling up Luis Ayala from AAA, and signing veteran free agent Brendan Donnelly. If the Marlins plan on catching the Phillies atop the NL East they will need strong performances from the starting rotation.

Check out Fishguts for more Marlins news and information and a more in depth series preview..

Probable pitching matchups are below:

Thursday @ 7:10PM EST – Moyer,PHI(8-6,5.99 ERA) vs. Volstad,FLA(6-8,4.44 ERA)

Friday @ 7:10PM EST -Hamels,PHI(5-5,4.87 ERA) vs. Nolasco,FLA(6-7,5.76 ERA)

Saturday @ 7:10PM EST – Blanton,PHI(6-4,4.44 ERA) vs. Johnson,FLA(8-2,2.74 ERA)

Sunday @ 1:10PM EST – Happ,PHI(6-0,2.90 ERA) vs. Miller,FLA(3-4,4.50 ERA)

The Mets(42-25, 4th in NL East 6.5GB) entered the All-Star break with two wins in a row and only their second series victory since the beginning of June.Â They hope that they can build on that success and start becoming healthy in the second half.Â They have looked dismal of late with bad defense, very little hitting and even the pitching has been sub-par.Â There is still no news on most of their injuries, specifically to Beltran and Reyes.Â They begin their four game set in Atlanta against their long time rivals in hopes of getting closer to the division or Wild Card lead.Â Check out The Real Dirty Mets blog for more Mets information.
The Atlanta Braves(43-45, 3rd in NL East 6GB) went into the break after splitting a four game set in Colorado with two losses blamed on the bullpen.Â The team can’t be too annoyed with the bullpen which seems to have the same suspects mentioned in post game write-ups day by day and you can only expect so many great outtings.Â Virtually all of their team, including all pitchers got the past three days off, so they are fresh and ready to battle.Â They will welcome in recently traded Jeff Francouer this weekend with his new mates for a four game set.Â Check out The Braves Baseball blog for more insight.

The probable pitchers are shown below:

Thursday @ 7:00PM EST – Perez,NYM(2-2,8.78 ERA) vs. Lowe,ATL(8-7,4.39 ERA)

Friday @ 7:35PM EST – Pelfrey,NYM(7-4,4.47 ERA) vs. Jurrjens,ATL(7-7,2.91 ERA)

Saturday @ 4:00PM EST – Santana,NYM(10-7,3.09 ERA) vs. Kawakami,ATL(5-6,4.26 ERA)

Sunday @ 6:00PM EST – Nieve,NYM(3-3,3.03 ERA) vs. Vazquez,ATL(6-7,2.95 ERA)

The Washington Nationals(26-61, 5th in NL East 22.5GB) have had probably the busiest All-Star week a team can have when you only send one player to the game.Â On Sunday after the game, they made multiple player moves while trying to get some fresh blood on the team.Â Later that night, they made a big move, while expected and fired Manny Acta as team manager, with Jim Riggleman replacing him on an interim basis.Â They will welcome in the Chicago Cubs to Nats park this weekend and hope that the infusion of new blood will change this team.Â They have a huge uphill climb if they hope to do anything this season, but more likely are hoping to plan and find some gems for next year.Â Check out CenterfieldGate for more news, information and insight on the Nats.

The Chicago Cubs(43-43, third in NL Central 3.5GB) split four games with the Cardinals this weekend and have climbed back to the .500 mark for the season at the break.Â Many people’s off season pick to win the NL Central, the Cubs have been underwhelming this year and hope a fresh start only 3.5 games back in the second half will propel them.

The probable pitchers are shown below:

Thursday @ 7:05PM EST-Harden,CHI(5-6,5.47 ERA) vs. Lannan,WAS(6-6,3.70 ERA)

Friday @ 7:05PM EST – Zambrano,CHI(5-4,3.53 ERA) vs. Olsen,WAS(2-4,6.03 ERA)

Saturday @ 7:05PM EST – Lilly,CHI(9-6,3.18 ERA) vs. Zimmermann,WAS(3-4,4.50 ERA)

Sunday @ 1:35PM EST – TBA,CHI vs. Mock,WAS(0-2,6.92 ERA)

Be sure to check back to NLEC or the team affiliate blog frequently!

If interested in helping the NLEC, please contact mrose@nleastchatter.com

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Jul

10

NL East Series Preview 7-10-09 thru 7-12-09

Filed Under (Series Preview) by mrose on 10-07-2009

Tagged Under : Aaron cook, Aaron Harang, Andrew Miller, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Bronson Arroyo, Centerfieldgate, Chad Moehler, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Coors' Field, Craig Stammen, Danny Haren, Derek Lowe, Doug Davis, Fernando Nieve, Florida Marlins, Hanley Ramirez, Houston Astros, J.A. Happ, Jair Jurrjens, Jason Hammel, Jason Marquis, Javier Vazquez, Joe Blanton, Johan Santana, John Garland, John Lannon, Johnny Cueto, Jordan Zimmermann, Josh Johnson, Josh Olsen, Los Angeles Dodgers, Mike Hampton, Mike Pelfrey, National League Central, national league east, National League West, National League Wild Card, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Phillies Phandom, Pittsburgh Pirates, Ricky Nolasco, Roy Oswalt, Russ Ortiz, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Sean West, The Braves Baseball Blog, The REal Dirty Mets, Tommy Hanson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Virgil Vasquez, Washington Nationals, Yusmeiro Petit, Zach Duke

The Philadelphia Phillies(45-38, 1st in NL East) took three out of four from the Reds this week.Â They decided after playing one game that could have had the mercy rule to play some real baseball though in their other two wins.Â They were also able to extend their lead in the division with the faltering play of the other teams.Â Check out Phillies Phandom for more Philadelphia insight.

The Pirates(38-47, 6th in NL Central 8GB) come into this weekend losers of five of their last seven.Â They will hope to put up a fight against a hot Philly team and to stay close enough to make a move in their own division.

Probable pitching matchups are below:

Friday @ 7:05PM EST – Duke,PIT(8-7,3.28 ERA) vs. Blanton,PHI(5-4,4.69 ERA)

Saturday @ 7:05PM EST – Ohlendorf,PIT(7-7,4.63 ERA) vs. Hamels,PHI(5-5,4.70 ERA)

Sunday @ 1:35PM EST -Vasquez,PIT(1-2,4.50 ERA) vs. Happ,PHI(5-0,3.04 ERA)

The Florida Marlins(44-42, 2nd in NL East 2GB) really need All-Star shortstop and slugger Hanley Ramirez to get healthy quick.Â They did take the final game of a three game set in San Francisco, but their offense is much different with him out of the lineup.Â The Marlins are still only two games back of the Phillies for first place, but they will need to find ways to win without Hanley to keep pace.Â They head to Arizona this weekend in hopes of getting closer to first place.

The Arizona Diamondbacks(36-49, 4th in NL West 17.5GB) are hot right now, winners of five straight games, including a sweep of the Padres this week.Â They will look to stay hot, but are currently thirteen games under .500 and 10.5 games back of even the wild card in the National League.Â At this point, you need to wonder if they are already out of it?

The probable pitchers are shown below:

Thursday @ 9:40PM EST – Miller,FLA(3-4,4.42 ERA) vs. Petit,ARI(0-3,8.46 ERA)

Friday @ 9:40PM EST – Nolasco,FLA(6-6,5.42 ERA) vs. Haren,ARI(8-5,2.16 ERA)

Saturday @ 8:10PM EST – West,FLA(3-3,4.47 ERA) vs. Garland,ARI(4-8,4.80 ERA)

Sunday @ 4:10PM EST – Johnson,FLA(7-2,2.82 ERA) vs. Davis,ARI(4-8,3.13 ERA)

The Braves(41-43, third in NL East 4GB) were able to rebound from a letdown weekend in Washington where they lost two out of three games after pulling within two of first place.Â They won the final two games in Chicago against the Cubs to put them alone in third place for the time being and only be four games back of Philly and two under .500 for the season.Â They will hope to rely on their starting pitching and solid bullpen this weekend in the hitters park that is Coors Field.Â Check out The Braves Baseball Blog for more information on the Bravos.

Colorado(45-39, third in NL West 8GB) improved to six games above .500 and continued their hot play since the manager change this week.Â They were able to sweep the Washington Nationals using different game plans this week.Â One game was won via great pitching, another via bad defense for the Nats and one with clutch hitting.Â They hope to march toward the wildcard lead this weekend against the Braves.

The probable pitchers are shown below:

Thursday @ 8:40PM EST – Hanson,ATL(4-0,2.25 ERA) vs. Cook,COL(8-3,3.76 ERA)

Friday @ 8:40PM EST – Lowe,ATL(7-7,4.56 ERA) vs. Jimenez,COL(6-8,3.86 ERA)

Saturday@8:10PM EST-Jurrjens,ATL(6-7,2.91 ERA) vs. Marquis,COL(11-5,3.61 ERA)

Sunday @ EST – Vazquez,ATL(6-7,2.95 ERA) vs. Hammel,COL(5-4,4.07 ERA)

The New York Mets(40-44, 4th in NL East 5.5GB) mercifully took one out of three from the Dodgers this week at home in Citi Field. Its quite obvious that the injuries have taken a toll on this team and the team and fans are likely not sure what to do next.Â They hope to stay close going into the much needed All-Star break, but check out The Real Dirty Mets Blog for more Mets articles.

The Reds(41-43, 5th in NL Central 4.5GB) as mentioned above have just lost three of four to the Phillies.Â They also are in a similar position as the Mets, sans the injuries in that they are hoping even with a mediocre first half, to close strong and have a play for the division.

Probable pitching matchups below:

Friday @ 7:10PM EST – Arroyo,CIN(8-8,5.85 ERA) vs. Nieve,NYM(3-2,2.73 ERA)

Saturday @ 7:10PM EST – Cueto,CIN(8-5,3.45 ERA) vs. Santana,NYM(9-7,3.29 ERA)

Sunday @ 1:10PM EST – Harang,CIN(5-8,3.89 ERA) vs. Pelfrey,NYM(6-4,4.52 ERA)

The Washington Nationals(24-58, 5th in NL East 20GB)Â continue to give their fans little bits of hope and then dash them away a few days later.Â Over the weekend, they cooled off the Atlanta Braves by taking two out of three games and had some high hopes going to Colorado.Â Once they got to Colorado, the Rockies swept them right out of town, and the Nats defense was also on display, but not in a good way.Â They hope that a matchup with the Houston Astros will heal some of their wounds.Â Check out CenterfieldGate for more information during the series between the teams.

The Astros(41-42, 5th in NL Central 3.5GB) are 6-4 in their last ten and currently sit only 3.5 games back in the competitive National League Central.Â They are fresh off a series in against Pittsburgh and have won three out of four games.

This series features the completion of a suspended game from May prior to the game Thursday.Â That game was suspended in the 12th inning in Washington and since Houston would not be returning to Washington, they will play it in Houston, with the Nationals being the home team until that finishes.

Probable pitching matchups are listed below:

Thursday @ 8:05PM EST – Lannan,WAS(6-5,3.45 ERA) vs. Ortiz,HOU(3-4,4.11 ERA)

Friday @ 8:05PM EST – Olsen,WAS(2-4,6.04 ERA) vs. Oswalt,HOU(5-4,3.81 ERA)

Saturday @ 7:05PM EST – Stammen,WAS(1-4,4.88 ERA) vs. Hampton,HOU(5-5,4.16 ERA)

Sunday @ 2:05PM EST- Zimmermann,WAS(3-3,4.52 ERA) vs. Moehler,HOU(5-5,5.52 ERA)

This should be a great weekend of National League East Baseball, please be sure to check back to NLEC or the team affiliate blog frequently!

If interested in helping the NLEC, please contact mrose@nleastchatter.com

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Jul

09

NL East Series Preview 7-9-09 thru 7-12-09 ATL,WAS,FLA edition

Filed Under (Series Preview) by mrose on 09-07-2009

Tagged Under : Aaron cook, Andrew Miller, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Centerfieldgate, Chad Moehler, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Coors' Field, Craig Stammen, Danny Haren, Derek Lowe, Doug Davis, Florida Marlins, Hanley Ramirez, Houston Astros, Jair Jurrjens, Jason Hammel, Jason Marquis, Javier Vazquez, John Garland, John Lannon, Jordan Zimmermann, Josh Johnson, Josh Olsen, Mike Hampton, National League Central, national league east, National League West, National League Wild Card, Philadelphia Phillies, Ricky Nolasco, Roy Oswalt, Russ Ortiz, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Sean West, The Braves Baseball Blog, Tommy Hanson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Washington Nationals, Yusmeiro Petit

The Florida Marlins(44-42, 2nd in NL East 2GB) really need All-Star shortstop and slugger Hanley Ramirez to get healthy quick. They did take the final game of a three game set in San Francisco, but their offense is much different with him out of the lineup. The Marlins are still only two games back of the Phillies for first place, but they will need to find ways to win without Hanley to keep pace. They head to Arizona this weekend in hopes of getting closer to first place.

The Arizona Diamondbacks(36-49, 4th in NL West 17.5GB) are hot right now, winners of five straight games, including a sweep of the Padres this week. They will look to stay hot, but are currently thirteen games under .500 and 10.5 games back of even the wild card in the National League. At this point, you need to wonder if they are already out of it?

The probable pitchers are shown below:

Thursday @ 9:40PM EST – Miller,FLA(3-4,4.42 ERA) vs. Petit,ARI(0-3,8.46 ERA)

Friday @ 9:40PM EST – Nolasco,FLA(6-6,5.42 ERA) vs. Haren,ARI(8-5,2.16 ERA)

Saturday @ 8:10PM EST – West,FLA(3-3,4.47 ERA) vs. Garland,ARI(4-8,4.80 ERA)

Sunday @ 4:10PM EST – Johnson,FLA(7-2,2.82 ERA) vs. Davis,ARI(4-8,3.13 ERA)

The Braves(41-43, third in NL East 4GB) were able to rebound from a letdown weekend in Washington where they lost two out of three games after pulling within two of first place. They won the final two games in Chicago against the Cubs to put them alone in third place for the time being and only be four games back of Philly and two under .500 for the season. They will hope to rely on their starting pitching and solid bullpen this weekend in the hitters park that is Coors Field. Check out The Braves Baseball Blog for more information on the Bravos.

Colorado(45-39, third in NL West 8GB) improved to six games above .500 and continued their hot play since the manager change this week. They were able to sweep the Washington Nationals using different game plans this week. One game was won via great pitching, another via bad defense for the Nats and one with clutch hitting. They hope to march toward the wildcard lead this weekend against the Braves.

The probable pitchers are shown below:

Thursday @ 8:40PM EST – Hanson,ATL(4-0,2.25 ERA) vs. Cook,COL(8-3,3.76 ERA)

Friday @ 8:40PM EST – Lowe,ATL(7-7,4.56 ERA) vs. Jimenez,COL(6-8,3.86 ERA)

Saturday@8:10PM EST-Jurrjens,ATL(6-7,2.91 ERA) vs. Marquis,COL(11-5,3.61 ERA)

Sunday @ EST – Vazquez,ATL(6-7,2.95 ERA) vs. Hammel,COL(5-4,4.07 ERA)

The Washington Nationals(24-58, 5th in NL East 20GB) continue to give their fans little bits of hope and then dash them away a few days later. Over the weekend, they cooled off the Atlanta Braves by taking two out of three games and had some high hopes going to Colorado. Once they got to Colorado, the Rockies swept them right out of town, and the Nats defense was also on display, but not in a good way. They hope that a matchup with the Houston Astros will heal some of their wounds. Check out CenterfieldGate for more information during the series between the teams.The Astros(41-42, 5th in NL Central 3.5GB) are 6-4 in their last ten and currently sit only 3.5 games back in the competitive National League Central. They are fresh off a series in against Pittsburgh and have won three out of four games.

This series features the completion of a suspended game from May prior to the game Thursday. That game was suspended in the 12th inning in Washington and since Houston would not be returning to Washington, they will play it in Houston, with the Nationals being the home team until that finishes.

Probable pitching matchups are listed below:

Thursday @ 8:05PM EST – Lannan,WAS(6-5,3.45 ERA) vs. Ortiz,HOU(3-4,4.11 ERA)

Friday @ 8:05PM EST – Olsen,WAS(2-4,6.04 ERA) vs. Oswalt,HOU(5-4,3.81 ERA)

Saturday @ 7:05PM EST – Stammen,WAS(1-4,4.88 ERA) vs. Hampton,HOU(5-5,4.16 ERA)

Sunday @ 2:05PM EST- Zimmermann,WAS(3-3,4.52 ERA) vs. Moehler,HOU(5-5,5.52 ERA)

A full NL East Series Preview with Mets and Phillies will publish tomorrow.Â Since a few teams are playing series starting Thursday night though, this needs to be published.Â Enjoy!

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Jul

05

NL East Daily Recap 7-4-09

Filed Under (Daily Recap, NL East Chatter) by mrose on 05-07-2009

Tagged Under : Adam Dunn, Alex Cora, Andrew Miller, Atlanta Braves, Brad Lidge, Centerfieldgate, Dan Meyer, Fernando Nieve, Florida Marlins, Hanley Ramirez, Jamie Moyer, Jimmy Rollins, John Lannan, Matt Lindstrom, Mike Gonzalez, Mike MacDougal, New York Mets, Nick Evans, Philadelphia Phillies, Phillies Phandom, Pittsburgh Pirates, Real Dirty Mets Blog, Shane Victorino, The Braves Baseball Blog, Washington Nationals, Zach Duke

Jamie Moyer wins his third straight

It seems all that Jamie Moyer and the Phillies needed was the battered Mets to come to town to remember how to win, and win at home.Â The Phillies won 4-1 yesterday with Jamie Moyer(7-6) pitching into the seventh inning while only allowing one run for Philadelphia.Â Jimmy Rollins had another nice day going 1-3 with two walks and two RBI while Shane Victorino went 3-5 with a run scored and an RBI to lead the Phillies and Brad Lidge got his 15th save of the season.Â Make sure to go to Phillies Phandom for more Phillies information.

The Mets were led by Alex Cora and his three hits and an RBI by Nick Evans for their only run of the game.Â Fernando Nieve(3-2) took his second straight loss as a starter.Â Check out The Real Dirty Mets Blog for more Mets info.

Andrew Miller gets the win

The Florida Marlins got back on their winning ways yesterday with a 5-3 victory over Zach Duke and the Pittsburgh Pirates on 4th of July in Florida.Â Andrew Miller(3-4) worked6.2 innings for the Marlins while giving up only three earned runs but he did flirt with disaster while giving up two home runs.Â Zach Duke(8-7) on the otherside didn’t fare much worse, but gave up four earned runs in six innings taking a tough luck loss.Â Hanley Ramirez got back in the swing of things for the Marlins going 2-4 with a two run homer to now have RBI in 11 of his last 12 games.Â Dan Meyer got his second save of the season in the revolving closer door Florida has until Matt Lindstrom comes back from the disabled list.Â The two teams meet up in the finale this afternoon of the three game set.

Dunn hits #300

Yesterday in Washington, Adam Dunn hit a milestone shot, his 300th of his career.Â That wasn’t the only news of the day for the Nats who mounted a comeback from the seventh inning and eighth inning to take the second game of the three game set with the Braves.Â John Lannan(6-5) went eight strong innings while only giving up three earned runs and was rewarded with the late inning victory by the Nats.Â Mike MacDougal worked the ninth to get his fourth save of the year, although it was done while putting two on base with walks.Â Check out CenterfieldGate for more Nationals info.

The Braves’ Mike Gonzalez(3-1) took his first loss of the year when he gave up three runs in the eighth inning and was charged with a blown save.Â This broke a five game winning streak for the Braves, who fall three games behind the division leading Phils and are still tied with the Mets for third place. Check out The Braves Baseball Blog for more on the Bravos.

The series concludes this afternoon with Derek Lowe against Scott Olsen today.

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Jul

03

NL East Series Preview 7-3-09 to 7-5-09

Filed Under (NL East Chatter, Series Preview) by mrose on 03-07-2009

Tagged Under : Andrew Miller, Antonio Bastardo, Atlanta Braves, Brett Myers, Centerfieldgate, Charlie Morton, Chris Volstad, City of Brotherly Love, Derek Lowe, Fernando Nieve, Florida Marlins, Hanley Ramirez, Jamie Moyer, Jimmy Rollins, Joe Blanton, Johan Santana, John Lannan, Kenshin Kawakami, Landshark stadium, Lastings Milledge, Livan Hernandez, Manny Acta, Mike Gonzalez, Mike Pelfrey, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Nyjer Morgan, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Rafael Soriano, Ricky Nolasco, Rodrigo Lopez, Ross Detwiler, Ross Ohlendorf, Ryan Madson, Scott Olsen, The Braves Baseball Blog, The Real Dirty Mets Blog, Tommy Hanson, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals, wildcard, Zach Duke

The Philadelphia Phillies are reeling, and the New York Mets aren’t exactly lighting up the ball field either. The Phillies have gone 4-14 in their past eighteen games. During those same eighteen games since a matchup between the two, the Mets are 7-11 actually allowing them to gain ground on the Phillies.
The Phillies(39-37, 1st in NL East) are fresh off a series sweep at the hands of the Atlanta Braves, and have now lost five of their past six series including three series sweeps by opposing teams. The hitting has been mostly horrendous, including a long slump by Jimmy Rollins, which Phillies fans hope was broken last night. The pitching isn’t much better, as Ryan Madson hasn’t seemed himself since being placed into the closers role when Lidge was on the DL. Matt at Phillies Phandom discusses some other stats and issues today. Be sure to stop by Phillies Phandom for all your Phillies resources.

The New York Mets(39-39, 3rd Place in NL East 1GB) are certainly not looking much better, but they have at least won two games in a row. The Mets were in a five game losing streak to the Yankees and Brewers before Pelfrey pitched a gem on Wednesday and the offense didn’t give up on Thursday against the Brewers and Pirates. They now hope that their injury ravaged team can help them out when they visit the City of Brotherly Love for three games. TRDMB takes a look at Rodrigo Lopez the spot starter for the Phils, in for the injured Antonio Bastardo who was in for the injured Brett Myers. Make sure to go to and bookmark The Real Dirty Mets Blog for all Mets news and info.

One thing with this series is that no one knows what will happen, as is usually the case when these two teams meet. Probable pitchers and times are below.

Friday @ 7:05PM EST – Hernandez,NYM(5-3,4.04 ERA) vs. Lopez,PHI(0-0,0.00 ERA)

Saturday @ 4:05PM EST – Nieve,NYM(3-1,2.25 ERA) vs. Moyer,PHI(6-6,6.05 ERA)

Sunday @ 1:35PM EST -Santana,NYM(9-6,3.34 ERA) vs. Blanton,PHI(4-4,5.08 ERA)

The streaky Florida Marlins(41-39, 1st Place in NL East) will welcome in the Pittsburgh Pirates to Landshark Stadium this weekend. The Marlins have recently been through a five game winning streak, followed by a three game losing streak, then continued with their current three game winning streak. They will hope to continue that streak against the Pirates this weekend. The Marlins moved into a virtual first place tie last night when the Phillies lost, this is the latest the Marlins have been in first place in a season, and they have won two world series, think they appreciate the wildcard? Hanley Ramirez will also look to continue his 10 game RBI streak when the Buccos come in this weekend.

The Pirates(36-43, 6th in the NL Central, 6GB) are 5-5 in their last ten games and are seven games under .500 after yesterday’s loss to the Mets. Still, they are only six games out of first in another very competitive division, so they certainly are nothing to take lightly. The Pirates made two deals this week, including sending their pesky lead-off man Nyjer Morgan to the NL East Rival Nationals for former Met Lastings Milledge.
The probably matchups and gametimes are below. .

Friday @ 6:10PM EST – Morton,PIT(0-1,4.09 ERA) vs. Volstad,FLA(5-7,4.63 ERA)

Saturday @ 6:10PM EST-Duke,PIT(8-6,3.13 ERA) vs. Miller,FLA(2-4,4.45 ERA)

Sunday @ 1:10PM EST-Ohlendorf,PIT(7-6,4.41 ERA) vs. Nolasco,FLA(5-6,5.99 ERA)

The Atlanta Braves have now won four in a row, capped off by the series sweep of the division leading Phillies. The Braves(38-40 4th in NL East 2GB) have put themselves right back into the NL East race, along with three other teams with the streak. In the past few days, they have showcased their starting pitching, including young Tommy Hanson who will pitch again this weekend looking to stay perfect. The bullpen, mainly Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez have been very solid in securing leads late in games or giving the team a chance to score late in a game to win. More Braves news can be found at The Braves Baseball Blog.

The Nationals(22-54 5th in NL East 17GB) are now 2-8 in their last ten and it seems like years ago since they had won four in a row versus the AL East giant Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees. The Nats are fresh off a series sweep by the Marlins in Miami, and they look to find that winning combination they had against the Yankees and Blue Jays just a few weeks ago. The rumors of Manny Acta seem long gone now though, so maybe Acta sleeps well at night, for now.You can find Nats news at CenterfieldGate.com

Probably pitchers and game times are listed below:

Friday @ 6:35PM EST-Kawakami,ATL(4-6,4.25 ERA) vs. Detwiler,WAS(0-4,5.24 ERA)

Saturday @ 1:05PM EST-Hanson,ATL(4-0,2.48 ERA) vs. Lannan,WAS(5-5,3.45 ERA)

Sunday @ 1:35PM EST – Lowe,ATL(7-6,4.44 ERA) vs. Olsen,WAS(1-4,6.56 ERA)

This should be a great weekend of National League East Baseball, please be sure to check back to NLEC or the team affiliate blog frequently!
If interested in helping the NLEC, please contact mrose@nleastchatter.com

(1) Comment

Arizona Fall League

Filed Under (NL East Chatter) by dangeluzzi on 29-10-2009

Arizona Fall League Update

Filed Under (NL East Chatter) by dangeluzzi on 19-10-2009

Chatter Up! Inaugeral Edition – Braves @ Marlins 7-28-09 to 7-31-09

Filed Under (Chatter Up) by mrose on 28-07-2009

Marlins Player News: Miller down, Gaby Sanchez up

Filed Under (Marlins Player News) by mrose on 21-07-2009

Tagged Under : Andrew Miller, Florida Marlins, Gaby Sanchez, New Orleans

NL East Daily Recap from 7-19-09

Filed Under (Daily Recap) by mrose on 20-07-2009

NL East Series Preview for 7-16-09 to 7-19-09

Filed Under (Series Preview) by mrose on 16-07-2009

NL East Series Preview 7-10-09 thru 7-12-09

Filed Under (Series Preview) by mrose on 10-07-2009

NL East Series Preview 7-9-09 thru 7-12-09 ATL,WAS,FLA edition

Filed Under (Series Preview) by mrose on 09-07-2009

NL East Daily Recap 7-4-09

Filed Under (Daily Recap, NL East Chatter) by mrose on 05-07-2009

NL East Series Preview 7-3-09 to 7-5-09

Filed Under (NL East Chatter, Series Preview) by mrose on 03-07-2009

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