Bringing a Knife to a Gun Fight: Phillies at Cubs, 8/28/08
by WholeCamels on Aug 28, 2008 8:00 PM EDT
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PrintPhiladelphia Phillies at Chicago Cubs, Aug 28, 2008 8:05 PM EDT
After a topsy-turvy two game series against the New York Mets, no rest for the weary as the Phillies roll into Wrigley Field, where the Cubs, winners of five games in a row, have been nearly unbeatable this year (49-19).
Game One of the series might be the Phillies best chance to win a game, with ace Cole Hamels facing the inexplicably 15-5, 2.85 ERA Ryan Dempster.
Looking at the whole series, you gotta be pretty happy with a split.
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Ump doesn’t give him strike 3 and then Utley dives the wrong way. Why is that 3rd out os hard to get?
Last time the phils played the cubs, they either went 2-1 or 3-1 (can’t remember if it was a 3 or 4 games set) and the one they lost involved a bad homer call that affected the outcome.
I think they phils can hang with these guys and beat them.
Seems like Burrell’s hitting into DPs left and right all of a sudden. Wasn’t he one of the best in the league at avoiding DPs just a little while ago?
42 pitches for Hamels tonight. Pretty strong, but I have the feeling we might need him to basically pitch the whole game.
At that rate it would take 126 pitches to go 9 innings. I was thinking, like you, that it might be necessary to go as long as possible with Cole. Do you think Charlie would let him throw that many pitches if it’s 1-0 or 2-1 in the 9th?
by phillyinportland on Aug 28, 2008 8:55 PM EDT up reply actions
No, and he probably shouldn’t. He’s got, what, five or six starts yet.
My hunch is purely a hunch. Plus I’m a little drunk.
I wasn’t advocating that he throw that much, just thinking that if Cole is looking dominant that the temptation would be there in a close game to let him go as long as he can, which I’m guessing is somewhere around 120 pitches. Hopefully we can get a lead and let the bullpen finish up.
by phillyinportland on Aug 28, 2008 9:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Most likely no one important. Eyre, Saenez and that’s probably it. How many days has Lidge gone in a row?
by christonabike on Aug 28, 2008 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m sure he’ll be in if the Phillies are winning by <= 3 tonight then.
by christonabike on Aug 28, 2008 9:03 PM EDT up reply actions
C’mon Cole, get that batting average back up higher.
by phillyinportland on Aug 28, 2008 9:00 PM EDT reply actions
The Cubs are a funny franchise – aren’t they something like only once in the last 30 years of having back-to-back winning seasons? This year it looks like they’re finally building on a winning season instead of regressing.
by phillyinportland on Aug 28, 2008 9:17 PM EDT reply actions
Is it just me or does it seem like we’re giving up a lot of infield hits lately?
by phillyinportland on Aug 28, 2008 9:30 PM EDT reply actions
I know it’s been good pitchers, but the offensive futility of the last two nights has me irked all over again.
Somebody’s article said third base coach was being successfully aggressive during the homestand. I’m following on computer, not TV, so I’m wondering why Utley couldn’t score from first with two outs on a Howard double. Nothing worse than leaving men in scoring position in a low-scoring game.
by phillyinportland on Aug 28, 2008 9:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m definitely a believe that 3rd base coaches, in general, should be much more aggressive. In that particular instance though, I think there would have been a very good chance Utley gets thrown out.
by christonabike on Aug 28, 2008 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions
Based on the hit zone chart that should have been a double play!
by phillyinportland on Aug 28, 2008 9:44 PM EDT reply actions
DeRosa is OPSing .871 this year. The Cubs look pretty dumb batting him 8 when Fukudome is 7 and Theroit is 2.
Some kind of weird variation on the Tony LaRussa lineup – bat one of your best hitters 8th so your pitchers can bunt him over?
by phillyinportland on Aug 28, 2008 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions
More like Lou Pinella is the manager and probably couldn’t even tell you what OPS stands for.
by christonabike on Aug 28, 2008 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions
This is why you go as long as you can with Hamels.
by phillyinportland on Aug 28, 2008 10:29 PM EDT reply actions
Ugh, this one feels so, so much worse though. Last night they weren’t really executing… more getting lucky. They lost, but I felt like they were going to lose the entire game.
by christonabike on Aug 28, 2008 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions
when you also consider the fact that this likely means a series sweep, it is harder to swallow. ALSO, add to that the fact that the Mets could very well sweep the Marlins and thinks look even more bleak. Of course, this is all worst case.
by FuquaManuel on Aug 28, 2008 10:58 PM EDT up reply actions
The word "inexcusable" comes to mind.
Every bullpen blows games, but to do so this late in the season on back-to-back nights is, well, inexcusable. And to lose when your ace spotted you a 4-1 lead against the best team in the National League is — you guessed it — inexcusable.
I’m beginning to think a 2-2 split in this series is damn near impossible.
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