World Series Game One Recap
by dajafi on Oct 23, 2008 12:14 AM EDT
50 comments
This was survival here.
Double-digit men left on base, baffling managerial decisions, ineptitude from Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard... and they won it anyway. It's the first World Series victory for the franchise since Curt Schilling's five-hit shutout in Game Five of the 1993 Fall Classic, and it couldn't be appropriate that Schilling's ace successor, Cole Hamels, took the win.
Make no mistake: Hamels, Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge got us this one. Hamels wasn't quite at his unhittable best, but he held down a good offense for seven innings, got a couple double plays when he needed them, and showed his continuing evolution into one of the best pitchers in the game--and one of the best Phils postseason pitchers ever. Madson and Lidge continued to do what they've done all through the playoffs: six up, six down.
Chase Utley was the hero on offense, delivering a huge two-run homer in the first inning after Jayson Werth worked a walk. Utley later added a single, and Werth doubled twice. Shane Victorino and Pedro Feliz also had two hits each. And while the Phils couldn't deliver with men in scoring position, they drove up Scott Kazmir's pitch count early, and saw almost every arm in the Tampa bullpen over the last three innings--which could pay dividends later in the series. Perhaps the same will prove true of Charlie Manuel's decision to lift Hamels after just 100 pitches through seven innings... though there's no excuse for his leaving Eric Bruntlett in to hit with two on and two out in the top of the ninth, with three better lefty bats on the bench and at least one, probably two better gloves.
The conventional wisdom was that this game meant more to the Phils, with Hamels starting it, than it did the Rays. For once, the conventional wisdom probably was right. Hamels is the best pitcher in this series, and he delivered like an ace--taking enormous pressure off Game Two starter Brett Myers, for one thing, and picking up his teammates. He grabbed home-field advantage for his team, and Tampa, while no pushover on the road--as disappointed Red Sox fans can attest--is tougher at home.
The Phils take a 1-0 World Series lead into Game Two tomorrow night, when Myers faces off against James Shields.
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For me, the story of the game are in these telling details:
1. foul pop fly over to the stands. Ryan Howard reaches in two rows and grabs it. Should that happen in Philadelphia, which is doubtful, those fans who could have interfered would be marked.
2. the president of Taco Bell has an incongruously hilarious thick English accent and muffed the date of the free taco giveaway—onscreen it was announced as October 28, yet in the interview in the stands he said it would be November 28. I wonder if they will man up and honor both dates.
Great points. That Taco Bell thing was totally crazy.
I’d add the decision to send the runners on the ball that Coste cued right at Pena. Without that decision, it’s a 3-6-3 double play, and Ruiz’s grounder doesn’t score what turned out to be the winning run.
Agreed. It’s a strange game offensively when Chooch gets the GWRBI and team IZ was so good. Still, thinking from the Rays point-of-view, they have to feel like the executed the pitching game plan but for a couple of mistakes—completely handling Rollins, Howard, and Burrell. But they put a hell of a lot of pressure on the pitchers and the defense by working Kazmir’s pitch counts and being aggressive on the bases. So, from TB’s pov, I’d have to be both frustrated as all get-out and, in the back of my mind, a little fearful of what might happen should the big boys get it in gear.
by Wet Luzinski on Oct 23, 2008 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Here’s to Hamels not pitching again this year.
For Who? My teammates.
For What? To Win.
How Much? Where do I sign?
I just got home, will read the thread tomorrow, but anyone think it was an AWFUL idea to send Vic there on the Rollins pop-up? You have a lefty masher in the on deck circle AND you force Kazmir to throw more pitches. In the 7th or 8th inning, maybe. In the second inning you absolutely do not play for 1 run there.
For Who? My teammates.
For What? To Win.
How Much? Where do I sign?
On the one hand, I didn’t like the fact that it ended the inning—the crowd was getting pretty nervous and that just fired them up. So, I’m less likely to try that on the road. On the other, it showed adherence to a game plan of aggression on the bases, which in the grand scheme of things I thought worked to the Phils’ advantage.
by Wet Luzinski on Oct 23, 2008 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions
I dunno, Utley hit a homerun and another run scored on a groundout. Not sure what agreesion there was or where it worked out. Now, had he stayed and Werth hit a bases clearing double, then you could comment about how playing it smart ended up working out.
For Who? My teammates.
For What? To Win.
How Much? Where do I sign?
I’m more of the mind of my first hand than the second and thought the decision went too far. But I did feel that the presence of baserunners, working many deep counts, forcing lots of throws on the bases, etc., distracted Kazmir for sure. And dajafi wrote about the decision that preceded Ruiz’s groundout that resulted in the run, so it netted out even all things considered (though we can never figure out the might-have-been potential inning that ended at the plate). Not enough that he failed to make good pitches, granted—and the clutch hitting wasn’t there. But in terms of playing a series of games, that plants seeds that might pay off later—when the plays at second might get thrown away.
by Wet Luzinski on Oct 23, 2008 12:42 AM EDT up reply actions
Well, John Kruk agrees that it was a bad idea…citing most of the same things you and Daj have said…weird, Kruk actually thinking something through. Eric Young and the-idiot-with-gray-hair-formerly-known-as-the-Mets-GM thought it was a good idea to send him.
by FuquaManuel on Oct 23, 2008 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions
The aforementioned idiot had an amusing segment in which he criticized Chris Coste’s failure to make contact with the ball and move runners up, at the exact same time they showed a replay of the at-bat where Coste grounded out to Pena, thus moving two runners up. (Even in Coste’s first at-bat, where the runners did not move up, he still made contact.)
Oh What a Beautiful Day
I just love it !!!!. Tonight was a gift – Rollins/Howard shit the bed. Bruntlett must have compromising pictures of Cholly with a family member to bat with game on line and we still win on PITCHING as usual (who woulda thunk it at beginning of season). I really see an offensive eruption tomorrow, because the mettle has been tested and the Rays folded. I just don’t think Shields is the reincarnation of Gibson/Koufax that McCarver/Buck and all the other drooling idiots make him out to be and I think Myers is pumped in a good way, as everyone has talked about the huge dropoff after Cole (not so). By their reckoning David Price after pitching 2 innings in the post season is Dennis Eckersly on steroids while Lidge now 50 for 50 is old news – what crap (by the way Joe Savery in our organization from Rice/not Vanderbilt throws mid 90"s – maybe we should have brought him up and turned the games over to him). Call me optimistic, a jinx, whatever, but I predict Phillies 11-3 tomorrow in a laugher with Dobbs, Rollins, Utley and Victorino providing the big punch (Howard looks like April reincarnated – hopeless at this point and great trade commodity in offseason). And by the way, since "they shoot horses don’t they" isn’t it just time tro euthanize Tim McCarver.
by suffering on Oct 22, 2008 9:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
McCarver, GBA in the 7th, the DH, Bud Selig—- all examples of how inert barnacles cling to the good ship baseball. All living embodiments of the Abilne paradox.
by Wet Luzinski on Oct 23, 2008 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions
What is the deal with Bruntlett
I am getting mighty tired of seeing Bruntlett in games when they are on the line. Except for being faster than Burrell (who isn’t?) he’s not a significant upgrade defensively. He reads the ball poorly and his arm is adequate at best. Plus he’s obviously no threat at the plate. Pinch running for Burrell in the seventh with first and third and two out didn’t give us much of an advantage. Still we got away with it, but I’m worried that he’s gonna cost us somewhere down the line.
Game #2
Congrats on the win tonight. My Simulator has the Rays as 63.3% favorites in Game #2 tomorrow night. If somehow the Phillies can steal Game #2 they should be sitting pretty.
vr, Xei
My ‘simulator’ has the rays winning game 3 and 4 as well
by jemagee on Oct 24, 2008 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions
reason to hate rays
Until tonight I had no particular reason to want anything other than a Phillies Series win for sheer enjoyment. Enter BJ Upton, the Rays version of Jose Reyes. Now I really want us to kick their ass!
I would consume more gasoline driving to and back from my nearest Taco Bell than the 89 cent value of the taco itself would represent.
People really are stupid about “free” stuff.
http://www.thegoodphight.com
WHY CAN'T US?
People really are stupid about "free" stuff.
Remove the last 3 words and you have an even more accurate statement :)
by jemagee on Oct 24, 2008 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Anatomy of a Great Catch
You saw Ryan go into the stands for that amazing catch. But did you look around him? At the fans? Priceless looks on their faces. Translated here for you
by theguyreportDOTcom on Oct 23, 2008 4:32 AM EDT reply actions
Fuqua – just a small reminder
I GUARANTEE we will need more than 3 runs to win this game.
by jemagee on Oct 23, 2008 9:26 AM EDT reply actions
I already apologized to you in the game thread. I am sorry, I was wrong. I will abstain from making such comments from now on. ; )
by FuquaManuel on Oct 23, 2008 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions
must have been nice watching this game on the west coast. didn’t start til 840 (or later) and ended after midnight EST.
one down, three to go!
GO PHILS!
The west coast has few advantages, that’s one of them
It’s fracking HOT here
by jemagee on Oct 23, 2008 9:41 AM EDT up reply actions
Now, TONIGHT is when the series gets more interesting to me, in my mind i’ve already penciled in two phillies wins when Hamels pitches…it’s everyone else who worries me…which Myers is going to show up?
by jemagee on Oct 23, 2008 9:58 AM EDT reply actions
with that kind of logic behind his picks, I don’t know how he’s ever wrong… plus look at his picture… yikes
"When you get that nice celebration coming into the dugout and you're getting your ass hammered by guys - there's no better feeling than to have that done." - Matt Stairs 10/13/08
Gold... Pure Gold...
Yeah, losing on an extra-inning sacrifice fly is really getting “smoked” in the All-Star game. Love his abundant use of statistics and deep analytical perspective. Tool.
Should Myers be held to start game 3?
Does your opinion change after looking at the home/away splits?
Home 14 starts, 7-5, ERA 3.01
Away 16 starts, 3-8, ERA 6.21
not really
Zolecki blog post
Myers’ career splits
Myers might be a little better at home, but it isn’t anything worth getting all stressed about. The 3.01/6.21 thing is a statistical anomaly.
While I agree on the concept, we are talking Brett Myers here and who knows where this dude’s head is.
For Who? My teammates.
For What? To Win.
How Much? Where do I sign?
Didn’t matter when Myers started since it seems the phils batting phutility got worse in game 2 – oh happy day
by jemagee on Oct 24, 2008 9:49 AM EDT reply actions
The Phillies win
The Phillie take game one; the wierd thing about that I think that the Rays have lost the first game of every series. I’m a Dodger fan and was sad to see us get spanked by the Phillies but I have to tell you that this Ray’s team is relentless. I know your closer Brad Lidge is unhitable this year and Ryan Madson the setup guy makes them an awesome combination. With the team leaders struggling, you have to get to the 8th and 9th with a lead… If Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard don’t get going the Phillies won’t have a chance to use Brad Lidge. My post comes after the the Ray’s tie the series and the game comes back to Philadelphia. good luck the rest of the way..
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