Deal: 8/2/08

by dajafi on Aug 2, 2008 7:15 PM EDT

Philadelphia Phillies at St. Louis Cardinals, Aug 2, 2008 7:15 PM EDT

It's not really a fair question, but I wonder if the Phillies brain trust has any regrets right now about trading for Joe Blanton, who makes his third start in the red pinstripes this evening. The team has won Blanton's first two contests, with little thanks to him: the rotund Kentuckyian left the game on the losing end both times. Given the ongoing signals that the Phillies would like to see J.A. Happ get another chance to start, and their falling just short in trade talks earlier this week, it wouldn't surprise me if there were some second thoughts.

But the die is cast, and now the team must go forward. Blanton has never previously faced the Cardinals, while St. Louis starter Braden Looper has 59 career appearances against the Phils, all but one in relief. The onetime Mets closer is 1-2 with 16 saves, but a 5.85 lifetime ERA in those contests.

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quiet night, huh?

The Phils are up 2-0 through 4.5. Solo homers by Dobbs and Howard (who also had a great walk in his first AB). Fatty has stranded a few and has 4 Ks or so.

by dajafi on Aug 2, 2008 8:24 PM EDT reply actions

Blanton’s now thrown six scoreless, on just 84 pitches. So he’s probably good for one, maybe two more. It reminds me that the idea of getting him was probably almost as much to ease the burden on the bullpen as whatever Blanton himself would deliver.

by dajafi on Aug 2, 2008 8:41 PM EDT reply actions

Fatty losing it in the 7th…

by FuquaManuel on Aug 2, 2008 8:53 PM EDT reply actions

Ludwick

3 HR’s this series, my God what a shot. Phightens with 3 hits through 7, so Fatty is doing great.

by Steve-O- on Aug 2, 2008 8:55 PM EDT reply actions

Durbin and Romero warming.

by dajafi on Aug 2, 2008 8:55 PM EDT reply actions

Fatty makes it through the inning with only the 1 run. Some offense would be sweet. Of course, I have been saying that for almost 2 months now, so…

by FuquaManuel on Aug 2, 2008 8:57 PM EDT reply actions

We’ll see the Braves and Nationals again eventually.

by dajafi on Aug 2, 2008 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions

So tell me

Who is on the short leash, Blanton or Myers? Sounds like Happ (remember him ?) is going to start someday.

by Steve-O- on Aug 2, 2008 8:59 PM EDT reply actions

They’re both coming off great starts.

by dajafi on Aug 2, 2008 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Dumbass Eric Bruntlett.

by FuquaManuel on Aug 2, 2008 9:05 PM EDT reply actions

Just gives me another reason to hate on him, I think it started when Jim-Me was first on the DL and Bruntlett made 2 errors in his first game.

by Steve-O- on Aug 2, 2008 9:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Jesus Christ Superstar is in for the 8th. Throw strikes, that’s all I ask.

by FuquaManuel on Aug 2, 2008 9:08 PM EDT reply actions

I am calling my bookie right now about the odds that J.C. gets the hold here.

by FuquaManuel on Aug 2, 2008 9:10 PM EDT reply actions

Romero shouldn’t be in this game. The next few guys are all right-handers.

by dajafi on Aug 2, 2008 9:12 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, I don’t even know anymore. Cholly is doing everything in his power to put his players in a position to fail.

by FuquaManuel on Aug 2, 2008 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions

I have this feeling that Pujols is about to launch a moonshot off of Durbin. Call me negative, but I really think its gonna happen.

by FuquaManuel on Aug 2, 2008 9:18 PM EDT reply actions

nope, durbin induces the inning ending DP. Now pujols will get to haunt Lidge. perhaps we should score a few more runs?

by FuquaManuel on Aug 2, 2008 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions

FM, I love ya, but you really are the most relentlessly negative phan I’ve ever encountered. I consider myself a fatalistic guy, but compared to you I’m zippedy-frickin-do-dah.

by dajafi on Aug 2, 2008 9:23 PM EDT reply actions

hehe, well Daj, let’s put it this way: I am about 99% sure you are older than 26 years old, which means you are old enough to have been alive for the last major sports championship that Philadelphia has enjoyed. Me, I am 20 and have suffered through defeat after defeat after defeat. I wish I could help it, but so much failure and ineptitude has ingrained in me a deep sense of hopelessness, negativity, and skepticism. Perhaps I am negative because that is all I know and I feel uncomfortable approaching Philadelphia sports in any other way. But I, like you, just want to win.

by FuquaManuel on Aug 2, 2008 9:29 PM EDT up reply actions

I got ya. I’m 35, so I was semi-cognizant when the Phils won the WS in 1980. (Though if I had it to do over again, I damn sure would have stayed awake till the end rather than going to bed after Schmitty drove in the two runs…) And I remember the Sixers title in ‘83-which I did stay up for-even better.

This can’t be good for your health, though. You should be taking care of yourself to maximize the possibilities of still being with us when/if another Philly team wins it all.

by dajafi on Aug 2, 2008 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I would say I am a pretty healthy guy (physically). Mentally, maybe not so much once I turn on a Phillies/Eagles/Sixers game. Thanks for the concern though! :) I don’t even know why I care so much about this stuff sometimes!

by FuquaManuel on Aug 2, 2008 9:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t really consider FM to be that unusual in his level of negativity. If you listen to WIP, you’ll hear a more negative caller every twenty minutes or so. And many of those people will be more than old enough to remember the late ‘70s/early ‘80s.

It really has nothing to do with the city’s championship drought, it’s just part of this city’s local culture. (If it was all about the drought, then Seattle fans would be even more negative than us, but that’s pretty far from the truth.) There’s a certain power in being the one person in the group who has given up all hope and is therefore free to ridicule everyone else’s hopes. People here enjoy indulging that sensation, not just with sports but in all other areas of life too.

I think E. Digby Baltzell once wrote something about this.

by taco pal on Aug 4, 2008 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions

Actually, you should drop the negadelphian act cause you are ONLY 25 FREAKIN YEARS OLD!!! COME ON MAN, YOU ARE BARELY OUT OF PUBERTY!!!

For Who? My teammates.

For What? To Win.

How Much? Where do I sign?

by jonk on Aug 3, 2008 1:45 AM EDT up reply actions

I am actually 20. And I don’t know if that is supposed to be a joke. If it was an act I would be able to drop it.

by FuquaManuel on Aug 3, 2008 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions

So not out of puberty yet

by jemagee on Aug 3, 2008 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions

haha…that’s good man! he has no hair on his balls yet! LOLZ.

by FuquaManuel on Aug 3, 2008 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions

I meant 20. I am saying, you are being negative to be negative and not because it is warranted. Seriously. I agree with Taco Pal’s assertion. It is better to lose because people revel in it. If we win, then it’s almost like we have lost our personality. It’s kinda sad that we relish being losers.

For Who? My teammates.

For What? To Win.

How Much? Where do I sign?

by jonk on Aug 5, 2008 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions

I get pissed off when we lose. There is nothing I hate more than losing, which is why I come on here and vent. Perhaps others in this city relish being losers, but I can say that from purely financial perspective I would like nothing more for a Philadelphia team to finally win as it would save me about 50-100 bucks per year on television remote controls.

by FuquaManuel on Aug 5, 2008 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions