More Thoughts on NLCS Game One - Giants at Phillies

by WholeCamels on Oct 17, 2010 10:23 AM EDT

"Sorry, Boch. 'Human Element.'" (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

In bullet points because you're all so cute/handsome:

Those two pitches that Cody Ross crushed (and he did crush them) were just awful. Truly terrible. Whether Roy Halladay missed his spots, or if Carlos Ruiz called a couple of turds, that's what it was.
The Phillies really did hit some balls hard of Tim Lincecum, apart from the Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz home runs. However, both offenses got fairly lucky on balls in play.
The strike zone was as brutal as advertised:

Looks like Timmy wasn't getting the high strike, but got the edges, and no one got the low strikes. Both teams were getting squeezed.

That Pat Burrell double off the abdomen of Raul Ibanez was the negative backwash of the Ruben Amaro, Jr. Years distilled into one play. Your adequate but slow left fielder, who you got rid of because he couldn't field, hits a ball to your new left fielder who ostensibly can field but really can't, after your hypercompetitive ace gets flustered and serves up a pitch to smash. If only Placido Polanco were somehow involved.
Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz are and remain this team's best October hitters. If you believe in that sort of thing.
What makes this loss particularly frustrating was that they actually did get to Tim Lincecum, and on a "normal" night this would have been plenty for Doc. All but for Cody Ross, the Elfin One.
Ryan Madson is legit. The best. This team would be wise to figure out a way to eat some salary and move Brad Lidge after his apparent resurrection in 2010, and install Madson as Closer. Some dumb team that needs a closer could bite. Madson can pitch the ninth, seriously. On the other hand, maybe it's better to have him in this flexible set-up role, where Charlie will be more apt to use him in high-leverage situations.
This team won't get very far if Shane Victorino can't have better at-bats. Jimmy Rollins, too. Hopefully they'll have better nights tonight against the lefty Jonathan Sanchez. lulz
(Two bonus bullets from dajafi, who had a similar idea before coming onto the site and seeing that WC already marked this territory. In a characteristic act of generosity/efficiency, he's let me piggyback at the end of this piece.) The razor-thin margin between defeat and victory in last night's game is probably more evident to all of us today because over the last two-plus post-seasons, the bounces almost always have gone our way. From the first inning of Game One of the 2008 NLCS, when Manny Ramirez's deep fly ball hit the top of the outfield wall for a run-scoring double instead of a two-run homer in a game the Phils ultimately won 3-2; to a Chase Utley infield single in the top of the ninth of NLDS Game Three against the Rockies last year that moved the eventual winning run to third; to all the crazy stuff that happened as the Reds melted down in the seventh inning of 2010 NLDS Game Two nine days ago, the Phillies have gotten those breaks and bounces.
Last night, in a kind of reverse dayenu, we didn't: Derryl Cousins screwed Halladay on the 0-2 pitch to Burrell, then Ibanez mis-timed his jump on a very catchable ball at the wall, then an uncharacteristically shaken Doc made a bad pitch to ~~Jose~~ Juan Uribe, then Victorino made a bad throw to the plate as the eventual game-winner scored. I guess you can call it fate or intestinal fortitude if you really want to; I think it's bad timing. If you must ascribe something to "character," see how they come out tonight--in what's close to a "must-win," given the quality of pitching they'll see the rest of the series and the Giants' generally better play in their home ballpark, and facing a pitcher who's pwned them in the past. It's not easy, but I can't think of a team I'd have more confidence in as they make the attempt.

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Comments

the pitch for Ross’ first HR was more forgivable—wasn’t it the first pitch of the at-bat? But the identical pitch on a 2-0 count in the next at-bat? But the pitch Burrell hit was the true stinker of the night. Right into his wheelhouse on a 1-2 pitch? Bad.

by yolacrary on Oct 17, 2010 10:34 AM EDT reply actions

No- the first HR was on a 1-1 count. All three pitches were bad, but it also seemed like even the outs were hard hit.

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 10:43 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

was it 1-1? Huh. Well there goes that idea! Still, marginally more forgivable than the other two, but still bad…

by yolacrary on Oct 17, 2010 2:48 PM EDT up reply actions

WTF, Roy?

Tosses dossier on Ross that says “This guy is hitting inside pitches for HRs RIGHT NOW.”
Later, tosses updated dossier that reads “This guy is hitting your inside pitches for HRs RIGHT NOW.”

Not a member or affiliated with McCOVEY CHRONICLES in ANY way/shape/form.
Despite all my hoarsely screamed threats SBNation cannot delete them from my profile.

by victor frankenstein on Oct 17, 2010 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Yup- I checked AtBat just to be sure. But first pitch or third, the location was off.

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 3:05 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Polanco

While I will agree with you that the irony fairy was all over Pat the Bat’s double, hasn’t Polanco proved to be an upgrade over Feliz (particularly looking at this year’s numbers for both)? While I love to bash Amaro as much as anyone, I think he got it right with Polanco.

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 10:47 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

Of course he’s “better” than Feliz right now, but three years for an older (and now apparently injury-prone) player when there were younger, better options (Beltre) still smacks of impulsive decision-making on Amaro’s part.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Oct 17, 2010 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions

I thought the Phillies tried to sign Beltre and he did not want to come here?

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 11:05 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

That’s not my recollection. Regardless, they signed Polanco so early that there really wasn’t time for a proper negotiation/courtship with Beltre.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Oct 17, 2010 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions

True.

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 11:08 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Beltre turned the Phillies down. He took less money, and less years(one to be exact) to sign with Boston.

"You can commit no mistake and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life." - Jean-Luc Picard

by EREX21 on Oct 17, 2010 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions

I knew someone here had said that. Thank-you for coming out of the woodwork!

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 2:10 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

My recollection (which admittedly may be faulty) is that the Phillies made an initial offer to Beltre which was rejected, so they went for Polanco instead. Boras/Beltre either: 1. misread the market and had to settle for the one-year deal from Boston late in the FA period; or 2. they strategically decided to go fewer years in order to bolster his value on the market after 2010.

If No. 2, it certainly will pay off.

In other words, I don’t think it was an outright rejection of the Phillies’ offer as much as it was a decision by Beltre to wait out the market and see what would materialize, and the Phillies chose not to see how the market would play out and signed the easier-to-sign Polanco instead.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Oct 17, 2010 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Well, It could have been RAJ being rash – he seems a bit impulsive or maybe it was false pride. I thought he acted rashly on Schinder with Torrealba around. Torrealba was asking way too much but once the spring approached had to take the offer from the Padres and it wasn’t like Schinder was going anywhere. Thought the same thing about the Lee deal this year – just played his cards too early, though perhaps he was acting on marching oirders from the higher ups. Still, there just was and probably still won’t be anything that much better around this year at 3rd base. Also Beltre has had shoulder issues in the past and lacks Polly fielding versatility. Would I take Beltre over Polly? Do balls hit to LF by the opposing team make me cringe….

by j reed on Oct 17, 2010 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed on all counts… nothing against Polanco and Schneider, but if I could have had Beltre and Torrealba instead, I would take them in a heartbeat.

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions

The health issues are an important point. The hoped-for ‘situational hitting upgrade’ from Polly was limited by injury.

"Ninety percent of this game is half mental" - Yogi Berra (SI, May 14, 1979)

by bandwagonesque on Oct 17, 2010 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions

Polanco is a truly great defensive player but a very, very overrated hitter.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Oct 17, 2010 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions

I had written off most of the hitting issues to injury this year (particularly since his average was really high most of the season), but I will agree that he is at least a little over rated offensively.

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 11:10 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Shane

I am actually optimistic about his having a good night- he is one of the few Phillies who has hit Sanchez well career (particularly the last two years), and I just have a feeling that he is going to turn it on tonight.

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 10:54 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

You, optimistic? GTFO.

Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.

by FuquaManuel on Oct 17, 2010 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions

I know I will get shit for this, But a loss was good. Bring them back down to earth. Not that I think they were cocky, but you fight much harder when you know you have a chance to be beaten.

How's your wife and my kids?

by BudVugger on Oct 17, 2010 10:59 AM EDT reply actions

I somehow doubt they were cocky… While this loss definitely brings them back to earth, it was a crash they did not need. In the NLCS, losers of game one are 12-28 to win the series, so this loss was in no way a good thing.

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 11:04 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

My thoughts exactly

Bookies are picking the Phillies to win it all. When you’ve got the media and the bookies putting everything in your corner that makes your ego inflated. We proved 2 things: 1) that we can hit against Lincecum, and 2) that they can hit against Halladay. It’s time for our bats to wake up. 1 for 15 for Rollins is simply unacceptable. Howard’s not much better. and wtf with Victorino? Howard needs to realize that there’s more to hitting than homeruns. Think small ball. And if Rollins can’t hit or he’s still injured or whatever, don’t use him. It’s gotten to the point where he comes up and you can count on it being another out. It was an all around bad game but I thought we were going to drop one in this series anyway. I just didn’t expect it to be the first one, but someone had to lose and both are good teams. We take Ross out of the picture and we won that game so I have no doubt we’ll bounce back if we just play smarter.

by Kanayd on Oct 17, 2010 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Not to get all dannijd up in this piece, but with Sanchez pitching tonight, Ryan Howard is practically guaranteed a sombrero tonight, right? Just throwing it out there so people are ready for it and can be pleasantly surprised when he manages to get on base a few times.

Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.

by FuquaManuel on Oct 17, 2010 11:26 AM EDT reply actions

This seems like an okay approach. If nothing else, it aids the digestion while leaving out the apocalyptic predictions that might follow unheeded.

by Trev223 on Oct 17, 2010 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Probably the safest approach. Oddly Werth is also K prone vs. Sanchez, so expecting nothing from either is probably best-

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 1:24 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Is it just me

Or is is there a ton of red triangles outside of the box?

by h2o_34_35_44 on Oct 17, 2010 11:28 AM EDT reply actions

Burrels ‘out’ pitch is a cute little square in the bottom right of the zone

by Sept.28.Oct.27.Dec.28.2008 on Oct 17, 2010 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions

I know it’s early but, Phillies lost 4-3 Pat hit that 2 run double with 2 outs. If the Phillies loose this series ( I still think Phills in 5 / 6 ) in 7 games than you could blame that single pitch.

by h2o_34_35_44 on Oct 17, 2010 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions

1 run double- really you could blame that one or either of the pitches Ross turned into dingers.

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions

There are a lot of green triangles in the box too though.

GROUGTHINK ALERT
"You all are just blinded to reality by your hatred of Armando just as the Bonds haters are." -grm

by groug on Oct 17, 2010 3:27 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m no expert on interpreting those squares and triangles, but it looks like Halladay’s pitches were all called correctly except for one pitch on the lower third-base corner, which has been identified as the pitch to Burrell. I’ve watched it on replay a couple of times today and it looks low to me, but that’s the TV version, of course, and to the extent that the schematic above is a better judge of the ball then it should have been a strike. But one bad call against Halladay shouldn’t have been that critical. On the other hand, it does look like the ump was all over the place on Lincecum. It looks like seven pitches on the first-base side were off the plate but called strikes, while four high “strikes” and one right next to Halladay’s were called balls. So, maybe the Phillies batters had more reason to complain than Halladay did. I do wonder about these records, however. Calling a strike on a pitch more than a foot off the plate seems unlikely.

by phillyinportland on Oct 17, 2010 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Good Perspective Here

Thanks for a calm, analytical approach after a tough loss.

The Phillies can get ’em tonight. Getcha popcorn ready, and your BABIP sacrifices on the altar.

"Ninety percent of this game is half mental" - Yogi Berra (SI, May 14, 1979)

by bandwagonesque on Oct 17, 2010 11:31 AM EDT reply actions

thoughts while watching the game at the bar (my main one anyway)

Jimmy Rollins is absolutely atrocious at the plate. If it weren’t for Chooch batting well in the 8 spot, I’d propose Jimmy bat there, getting out of the way of better offensive players. Valdez is the future, and Jimmy would be a wise veteran to keep on the bench as a defensive backup.

Just don’t see any reason to bat him at the top or the middle of the lineup anymore

inter arma enim silent leges

by CoburnsCuddleBuddy on Oct 17, 2010 11:49 AM EDT reply actions

I don’t see Valdez as the future (he is the same age as Rollins, and even in what is probably a career year for Valdez his overall batting numbers are worse than Rollins- batting average higher, but slugging and on base percentage are lower).

Ruiz has batted ok out of the seven hole, and I see no problem with batting Rollins 7 or 8 in this lineup.

It sounds like Manuel agrees with us about not batting Jimmy in the middle of the lineup… Unfortunately there is a difference of opinion on appropriate placement- we are all saying lower, but he is thinking of putting Rollins, who is having trouble hitting to begin with and is 1-15 against Sanchez with a bunch of Ks in the lead off spot tonight.

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Valdez is the future, and Jimmy would be a wise veteran to keep on the bench as a defensive backup.

I’m getting really tired of this reactionary line. Look, Wilson Valdez when he is “good” can get you a .680 OPS, tops. The “bad” Jimmy Rollins you are seeing right now can get you at least a .680 OPS, not to mention the upside is significantly higher. Please stop overreacting to an injury-riddled regular season and 15 playoff plate appearances so far.

Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.

by FuquaManuel on Oct 17, 2010 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Moreover, Valdez is 32 years old; I’d have to really wonder at Ruben’s acumen if he considered switching to an aging utility man a viable plan for the future.

by Trev223 on Oct 17, 2010 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Plus people need to remember it can take more than the smattering of PAs he had after the last DL stint and 1 round of play-offs (against quality pitching nonetheless) for a player to regain his timing.

by j reed on Oct 17, 2010 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Fair enough. I was still pretty pissed this morning. The fact that there is no immediate backup to J-Roll in the system makes me believe that a declining J-Roll will continue to start in the immediate future.

inter arma enim silent leges

by CoburnsCuddleBuddy on Oct 17, 2010 6:43 PM EDT up reply actions

As to your last concern, there’s a league wide SS drought . There isn’t many teams with SS prospects that have the fielding skill and pop like Tulowitski or Hanley R. That’s why Atalnta trading Escobar was so utterly dumb – he was having an off year is all. It’s also why many of us advocate resigning Rolliins – as frustrating as he can be, his pop, speed and fielding are worth it. Multi-tool SSs are baseball plutonium.

by j reed on Oct 17, 2010 7:10 PM EDT up reply actions

an uncharacteristically shaken Doc made a bad pitch to Jose Uribe

It’s a wonder the Giants won. Pitching against the living dead can be a real bitch sometimes.

Now that's what I call high quality H2O!

by Justin F. on Oct 17, 2010 1:19 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs

Rec’d

Obviously any links in the above post are probably NSFW
The baseball gods do not always punish the wicked but they will not just allow people to spit in their faces -- Joe Posnanski
I wish I would stop cheating. fuck. this is jctgamer's fault -- jponry

by jctGamer on Oct 17, 2010 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Fixed.

by dajafi on Oct 17, 2010 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Rec’d…and LOL

Adopted Son: !Matt Downs I'll miss you my son.

by nvsfg on Oct 17, 2010 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Ryan Howard Sighting

With ‘Goose’ in the end zone at the Eagles game. They’re asking him about the size of the team.

"Ninety percent of this game is half mental" - Yogi Berra (SI, May 14, 1979)

by bandwagonesque on Oct 17, 2010 1:30 PM EDT reply actions

So nice to know that the team is focusing on the business at hand.

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 1:39 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Shut up.

Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.

by FuquaManuel on Oct 17, 2010 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh my God this is your worst comment ever.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Oct 17, 2010 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

What would you prefer he be doing 7hours before the first pitch?

by David S. Cohen on Oct 17, 2010 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions

doing push-ups with Larry Fucking Bowa on his back, yelling at him

by j reed on Oct 17, 2010 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

No major revelations from RH. The usual bon mots sent Timmy’s way and a “we’ll just get back to it tonight” coda. You could construct it yourself from discarded post-game stock phrases.

"Ninety percent of this game is half mental" - Yogi Berra (SI, May 14, 1979)

by bandwagonesque on Oct 17, 2010 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Also nice to know our fans aren’t overreacting to one loss. :) The comments I read on the philly.com website were much more apocalyptic. For many “Phillies fans” – and I use that term loosely – the series and the season are apparently over and it only remains a question of which bastards to blame and ship out of town. As many were pointing out not very long ago, this is a team that should be appreciated for bringing a period of baseball excellence never seen before to Philadelphia. That sure lasted a long time, didn’t it?

by phillyinportland on Oct 17, 2010 2:07 PM EDT reply actions

Last night, I was as apoplectic as anyone on Philly.com (minus the desire to ship half the team out on a rail- even when angry at them, I still love them, and for the most part want to keep them). Then I clicked on an article that Salisbury wrote for CSN, about treasuring this… And it made me realize how lucky I have been to watch this team. Even if they do not win another game this year, and regardless of how they do next season, I have seen easily the best era of Phillies baseball. I have been lucky to be along for the ride. In 2007, I was glad that they had just made the playoffs. In 2008, I asked for them to win just one playoff game- and got the first Philadelphia championship since I was in diapers. 2009 fell just short, but to get there in back to back years was quite a ride. And so has this season been- the Phillies first time ever with the best record, and their first playoff sweep. For the next 27 innings (plus any additional time this team puts back on the clock), I am going to try to remember how lucky I have been to watch them. My grandfather rooted for the Phillies his whole life and did not get to see a team like this.

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 2:18 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

by Wet Luzinski on Oct 17, 2010 7:10 PM EDT up reply actions

I tried to explain this my 11 year-old son after the NLDS. All he and his friends know is the ascension of this team since his ‘sports awareness’ really kicked in at age 7 or so. I tried to explain that he could watch the Phillies for 20 more years and never sniff the post season.

I don’t know how successful my lecture was, but it helped give me perspective on just how fun this ride has been, regardless of when it ends.

/sappy mode off

"Ninety percent of this game is half mental" - Yogi Berra (SI, May 14, 1979)

by bandwagonesque on Oct 17, 2010 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions

I think it helped you, even if your son is too young to understand.

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 2:25 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

show him what Yankiee fans are like

by j reed on Oct 17, 2010 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions

and how to spell Yankee

by j reed on Oct 17, 2010 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Man, I love the crowd at Citizens.

It’s not like Chase Library, where it’s so quiet Rowand hears me yelling at him from 40 rows back and flips me off.
No, Philadelphians really get into the game, and this time the coverage is microphoned correctly and catches the full effect.

And the cameras catch the fool effect…

I’m sure none of you were behind those.

So the umpiring crew leaves their dirty imprint on another score.
Props to Roy for letting Cousins know how he felt.
Lots of low strikes not called. Remains to be seen whether that’s an individual ump characteristic or the plan for the series.

Werth is going to be a very rich man next year.
I hope he’s a very rich Giant.

I think we stole one.

Not a member or affiliated with McCOVEY CHRONICLES in ANY way/shape/form.
Despite all my hoarsely screamed threats SBNation cannot delete them from my profile.

by victor frankenstein on Oct 17, 2010 2:50 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, I don’t think the Giants “stole one.” I think it was a very evenly fought game that could have gone either way, and went San Fran’s way.

by dajafi on Oct 17, 2010 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, it’s not like the Giants don’t deserve to be here. It’d be different then let’s say sucks all year then has the most improbable 20 plus game end of the season winning streak small market darlings Rockies.

by j reed on Oct 17, 2010 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions

That the Rockies ripped off another ten in a row this year was more than a little unnerving.

Then the Diamondbacks played the spoiler card to great success.

In fact, if it weren’t for the fact that I live in the greater Metro Phoenix area and hold them in great contempt I’d send them a gift basket for their assistance in helping the Giants into the playoffs, as they figured in no less than three beneficial late season sweeps.

Not a member or affiliated with McCOVEY CHRONICLES in ANY way/shape/form.
Despite all my hoarsely screamed threats SBNation cannot delete them from my profile.

by victor frankenstein on Oct 17, 2010 8:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Rollins was just terrible last night

almost everyone was putting good wood on timmys pitches except rolling, he was a rally killer

by elpikiman on Oct 17, 2010 2:52 PM EDT reply actions

A couple notes

Victorino made the last out, and it’s my recollection that he has made a large number of last outs, many moreso than anyone else. Is there any to quantify this?
Their ace outpitched our ace, which sucks, but it was a close game all night. It seemed to be that Halladay was unlucky in BABiP terms, while Lincecumw as lucky. Utley hit a fly to the track in the first, and Ruiz hit one later on. Vic and Werth had a couple good line drives as well.
Cody Ross needs to be beaned in the junk. Repeatedly. By Aroldis Chapman. On steroids.

Need to win tonight. And bean Cody Ross. I’d even settle for sacrificing a perfect game by beaning Cody Ross in the ninth.

by Phrozen on Oct 17, 2010 3:15 PM EDT reply actions

OK, now I'm not so sure.

Not a member or affiliated with McCOVEY CHRONICLES in ANY way/shape/form.
Despite all my hoarsely screamed threats SBNation cannot delete them from my profile.

by victor frankenstein on Oct 17, 2010 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions

There’s backstory here from his time with the Marlins. The reaction you may see isn’t just from last night.

"Ninety percent of this game is half mental" - Yogi Berra (SI, May 14, 1979)

by bandwagonesque on Oct 17, 2010 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions

To elaborate, basically, Cody Ross is a Phillies killer. He has more HRs against the Phillies, mostly stemming from his time with the Marlins, than he does any other team in baseball.

Now that's what I call high quality H2O!

by Justin F. on Oct 17, 2010 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Not so sure of what?

by Phrozen on Oct 17, 2010 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Nothing, nothing at all.

Thanks for the backstory. I sympathize.

As I type this he’s probably throwing the bat around the ballpark yet again in a vain attempt to hit more outside pitches…

Not a member or affiliated with McCOVEY CHRONICLES in ANY way/shape/form.
Despite all my hoarsely screamed threats SBNation cannot delete them from my profile.

by victor frankenstein on Oct 17, 2010 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions

I forgot one

We lost fair and square. That missed strike call on Burrell and the succeeding non-catch is, I think, the defining play, but it’s not like we scored a million runs either.

No hard feelings, Giants-fans and Giants not named Ross.

by Phrozen on Oct 17, 2010 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions

the cherry

Bingo. If the Phillies had executed elsewhere when they had Timmy on his heels a couple of times, we’d be basking rather than wallowing right now.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Oct 17, 2010 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Kinda makes the two early game missed opportunities (Howard’s double in the second and Howard’s K in the third with 2 on and 2 out) loom even larger… the Phillies had their opportunities. They just failed to cash in.

by dannijd on Oct 17, 2010 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Okay. There are 58 comments in this thread and more than 1/3 of them are yours. Take a break.

Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.

by FuquaManuel on Oct 17, 2010 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions

And we sure are wallowing right now! Unfortunately, I can’t wallow nearly as much today as I’d like, as I’ve got to work tomorrow. Hopefully tonight some basking will cancel out the wallowing and I won’t be hungover Monday.

by Phrozen on Oct 17, 2010 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Well one thing is for sure, unless Codi becomes Kevin Youklis, the only way Codi is gettin a hit off Doc ever again is by the grace of Baseba’al

by j reed on Oct 17, 2010 5:13 PM EDT reply actions

No need to panic yet. But Rollins has to be old J-Roll again

by chase8008 on Oct 17, 2010 6:00 PM EDT reply actions

Difficult Decision for Coaching Staff and Management...

Is always…when is it better to play an injured starter who is not 100% vs. a backup player of lesser skills who is healthy?

by woodyj on Oct 17, 2010 7:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep. Health and DL related deconditioning are the only reasons to justify sitting Rollins

by j reed on Oct 17, 2010 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions

What I noticed about the Pitch F/X was that Cousins called strikes and balls pretty well for RHH. When it came to LHH though, that’s all that “what the efffff” data. On MLB Network Joe Magrane jokingly blamed Cousins for ruining his career, take that as you will.

by wattmilliams on Oct 17, 2010 7:20 PM EDT reply actions

We got this

That’s right, I’m posting this NOW. I won’t be here for the game, so I’m putting it up now, because tonight they beat Sanchez, tonight they punish Ross. Tonight the Giants get their buzz killed.

Go ahead and yell at me for jinxing it after I leave.

Then tell me how right I was after I get back.

Go Phils.

Later, bitches.

by Chutley's Impressed by Mac's Speed on Oct 17, 2010 7:34 PM EDT reply actions

Well done!

Not a member or affiliated with McCOVEY CHRONICLES in ANY way/shape/form.
Despite all my hoarsely screamed threats SBNation cannot delete them from my profile.

by victor frankenstein on Oct 17, 2010 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions

well FWIW I think the Giants will sweep the phillies …. really I do.

MAYBE we might win one game. I saw so many things wrong with last nights game which 90% of the time the phillies capitalize on… that it struck me as a ’sign".

Mr. Mayor, we're talking real wrath of God type stuff... Fire & brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers & seas boiling! 40 years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes. .The dead rising from the grave...Human sacrifice, dogs cats living together.... Mass Hysteria!

by VAwxman on Oct 17, 2010 8:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe you were wrong!

by Phrozen on Oct 18, 2010 3:32 AM EDT up reply actions

Defense was influential in loss

then Ibanez mis-timed his jump on a very catchable ball at the wall.. then Victorino made a bad throw to the plate as the eventual game-winner scored

We are used to great D over the years with this club. Not so much last night in key circumstances. I was one of the few in the game thread to comment on both of these poor plays. Ibanez not only mis-timed the jump but he actually did not need to jump at all, had he stood his ground it would have landed in his glove. Not good. Moreover, this was in left-center, and you can argue that Vic should have been there anyway, Then Vic made his bad throw. Note, we have been worried about VIc’s shoulder, this may be worth observing/keeping track. But even if we assume Vic no longer has a cannon due to injury, he then should never have thrown to the plate but tried to get the runner out at 2nd.

Had both of these plays been made, Phils win. Thus, I think this is actually more of a problem than Ross or Burrell, or inconsistent umpiring, especially if such behavior were to continue.

Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz. Halladay, Hamels, Oswalt.

by Bud in TN on Oct 17, 2010 8:00 PM EDT reply actions