Some Phillies Links For You, October 22, 2010: Doc's Legendary Groin, Back Home

by WholeCamels on Oct 22, 2010 8:24 AM EDT

Reggie Jackson: Phillies 'have done everything perfectly except let Cliff Lee go'
Et tu, Reggie?

Rollins' burst of speed a good sign for Phillies
If Games 6 and 7 remain low-scoring, this could be a very useful development.

Werth gets it done for Phillies with bat and arm
Gonna miss this guy.

Roy Halladay delivers on one leg; bunt changes NLCS Game 5
Roy Halladay is a legend, no matter what happens from here out.

Phillies stay alive
Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!

Residents demand more details on stadium plan
Hope they can work this out. Minor league baseball in West Chester would rule.

Time For Alex Rodriguez to be Great
What a stupid premise.

Three for free: Giants generous to Phillies in strange third inning
I am not above accepting charity.

Slumping at plate, Utley makes crucial catch
That hit last night was encouraging, but overall the guy just looks "off."

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Steven Perry to the rescue!!!

Madson came stomping out of the ‘pen to pitch the bottom of the eighth, as "Don’t Stop Believing" pumped through an electrified ballpark. Great Giants moments of 2010 played on the video board. Orange pom-poms were shaking halfway to San Jose. You could feel adrenaline shooting through every vein in the park. Just, in this case, it wasn’t shooting through the veins of a guy in the right uniform.

“Great song,” Madson gushed later. “That song pumped me up. When they started playing it, I got chills. It kept me loose. It took my mind off everything. I guess they probably won’t do that again now that you’re going to write it.”

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs/2010/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=5713596

by Boundforbeach on Oct 22, 2010 8:41 AM EDT reply actions

Hmmm. I guess that means they should start playing it at CBP.

Contreras and I were just looking at him eating this iguana thing over white rice and he put it away like it was a double cheeseburger, you know?

by LeepinLizardz on Oct 22, 2010 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions

So anyone thinking Burrell will get a standing boovation on Saturday after he cursed out Doc for apparently no reason?

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

by EREX21 on Oct 22, 2010 9:26 AM EDT reply actions

It is certain

by dannijd on Oct 22, 2010 9:37 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

“Most Likely”

/Magic 8-Ball

I am not a witch.

by RememberthePhitans on Oct 22, 2010 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions

I am actually feeling pretty confident – for the reason that they are returning home. The last couple of times they were down 3-1 and won game 5 (‘93 WS and ’09 WS), they had to go on the road and win Game 6 to force Game 7 – and neither of those Game 6’s had the level of starting pitching that we will (hopefully) see with Roy O.

by WanderingMoses on Oct 22, 2010 9:55 AM EDT reply actions

I never feel confident in the playoffs.

by Cormican on Oct 22, 2010 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions

This actually reminds me a tad of 1996 when the Braves where down 3-1 to the Cardinals and all the talking heads started rambling on and on about a ‘changing of the guard’ and all that.

by WanderingMoses on Oct 22, 2010 10:05 AM EDT up reply actions

Agree with that sentiment

I sense a very different vibe with the team going into Game Six this year than last year. After hanging on to win Cliff Lee’s game and feeling little confidence in Brad Lidge after the loss in Game Four, there wasn’t a lot of promise for winning two times in New York. This year the pitching is so much better, both with the starters lined up for the next two games and the bullpen, and the games are at home, as you said.

by phillyinportland on Oct 22, 2010 5:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Exactly… last year, going into game 6 I was praying for a Pedro Martinez miracle… you know, the kind where the patient Yankees lineup turns impatient and suddenly he is able to get a complete game shut out? But a part of me knew that even if the Phillies somehow pulled the proverbial rabbit out of the hat, that game 7 would come, and that as much as I wanted to believe in Cole’s ability to pitch a great game when it happened, that he had somehow turned into a pumpkin at midnight on that wonderful night when the Phillies won it all… I had him written off… I did not want him gone, but he was not high on the list of pitchers I wanted on the mound with it all on the line. This year, I feel differently. While the road still seems tough— that is all that it seems. It is not impossible. While Oswalt and Hamels have both lost to the Giants this year, I feel good about giving each of them the ball. And the Phillies have beaten both remaining Giants starters. The gap is the same, and the Phillies bats are still quiet things (and the CBP wall may be waaaaay too close to Cody Ross’s bat for my comfort)… but the feeling is still somehow more hopeful than it was last time.

by dannijd on Oct 22, 2010 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Utley's thumb

Right thumb hurt in CIN game on June 28. Out six weeks with surgery to torn ligament in the right thumb.

August (came back 8/17):
August Total:
53 5 11 2 0 0 4 13 9 9 1 0 2 .344 .245 .208

Utley’s line in September/October was:
Sept/Oct Total:
96 19 31 5 0 5 22 51 12 16 5 1 8 .436 .531 .323

The last three are OBP/SLG/AVG

5 HR in 96 AB/108 PA in Sept/Oct. Not bad there.

If the thumb is hurting, it may be that it was aggravated sometime late in the season or in CIN (again). Or, maybe something else completely.

The thumb would explain fielding and hitting issues, but not throwing, or at least not obviously. Pain is a pretty good distraction.

With my absolutely no special knowledge, wild-ass speculation, I am guessing he has bubonic plague.

I am not a witch.

by RememberthePhitans on Oct 22, 2010 9:58 AM EDT reply actions

Citation.

http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/individual_player_gamebygamelog.jsp?c_id=phi&playerID=400284&statType=1

Sorry, forgot to include my source.

I am not a witch.

by RememberthePhitans on Oct 22, 2010 10:00 AM EDT up reply actions

Considering that he tore the ligament in his right (throwing) hand, why wouldn’t throwing be affected?

by dannijd on Oct 22, 2010 10:06 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Yoiks. I pulled a Camden Babe Ruth there. I was thinking LHB = lefty thrower. Whoops. As if any infielder other than a 1B can throw lefty. Thanks. My bad there.

I am not a witch.

by RememberthePhitans on Oct 22, 2010 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions

BTW… we are not the only ones wondering if Utley is back to playing hurt- Charlie Manuel asked him straight up if he was injured. He denied it… but considering his history, I don’t know that I take much from it.

Manuel also mentioned something that describes his, Rollins’s and Howard’s problems since returning from the DL. He said that there problem is getting back to swinging the right way consistently— perhaps the combination of the layoff of being on the DL plus any lingering pain or problems in the affected area explains why each has shown flashes of brilliance without ever truly getting back to being himself.

by dannijd on Oct 22, 2010 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Bill Baer investigates Utley’s power (noting that his late season power appears isolated to the low and in pitch), concludes the thumb is still bothering him:

http://crashburnalley.com/2010/10/21/chase-utleys-power-outage/

by yolacrary on Oct 22, 2010 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions

That’s pretty good work.

I am not a witch.

by RememberthePhitans on Oct 22, 2010 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions

CLIFF LEE

FARGLE BARGLE

by phatj on Oct 22, 2010 10:12 AM EDT reply actions

None of that today!

Please direct all discussion of the above mentioned player to www.lonestarbaseball.com , www.pinstripealley.com or Tonight’s ALCS thread right here.

by dannijd on Oct 22, 2010 10:18 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Now the Phillies need to break the bank and pay for more calls and pay for the bad ones to stop on us. I never said in my theory on the thread that the umps decide games just favor a team. I thought they did that in basketball with Jordan I think they do it in the NFL to certain guys they love to flag even when they say he isn’t on the field. All great teams must battle through the paid officials and the other team to win..
They Flyers got to the cup after down 0-3 I think that the Phillies got this. Just keep hitting and they got this.

I wasn't even a year old but I stayed up to be outside the Vet with my Dad and Mom when the Phillies won the World Series 1980.

by Christopher A on Oct 22, 2010 10:23 AM EDT reply actions

Madson

was sick nasty last night. Can we extend him past 2011 to position him as our next closer?

by Nikk.m on Oct 22, 2010 10:26 AM EDT reply actions

He “doesn’t have the head for it” since he “lacks that killer instinct.”

/WIP’d!

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

by bandwagonesque on Oct 22, 2010 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions

I am sure that the middle of the Giants lineup would beg to differ.

by dannijd on Oct 22, 2010 5:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Naw

They just suck. If Madson truly was ready to close, he’d have thrown an “immaculate inning,” not a sissy 13-pitch affair.

by Phrozen on Oct 22, 2010 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions

That’s what I’m talking about! 10 pitches too many!

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

by bandwagonesque on Oct 22, 2010 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions

They should just bother not playing the games...

Fingernails on chalkboard

by WanderingMoses on Oct 22, 2010 10:48 AM EDT reply actions

Aww.. he mad.

by Nikk.m on Oct 22, 2010 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, check out his credentials:

Moore spent 32 years as an award-winning sports columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, San Francisco Examiner and Cincinnati Enquirer.

So…he’s written about the Braves, Reds and Giants. That wouldn’t make him biased, right?

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

by bandwagonesque on Oct 22, 2010 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions

And now he’s writing for FanHouse. Sounds like a burnout to me.

by taco pal on Oct 22, 2010 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions

If he had cited starting pitching or made a cogent argument that HFA isn’t all that, I might have considered his argument. Instead he resorts to “magic”, “pixie dust”, and the 1914 Braves.

The 1914 Braves? Don’t get me wrong – the Giants could still win this, but I don’t think it will be bacause Cody Ross is wearing a Joe Connolly momento.

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

by bandwagonesque on Oct 22, 2010 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions

Why?

Contreras and I were just looking at him eating this iguana thing over white rice and he put it away like it was a double cheeseburger, you know?

by LeepinLizardz on Oct 22, 2010 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Is it take your 8 year old to work day? I hope so, otherwise this guy has no excuse.

by Cormican on Oct 22, 2010 11:15 AM EDT up reply actions

yes

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Oct 22, 2010 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions

Warren Zevon FTW!

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

by bandwagonesque on Oct 22, 2010 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions

sweet with Zevon

by j reed on Oct 23, 2010 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions

This quote...

Now this for the Phillies: Hope. It’s false hope. Even so, they expect to spend the weekend pulling an epic comeback after trailing 3-1 in this best-of-seven series, but such a thing won’t happen. Magic teams never see the clock strike midnight or have the wicked witch keep from melting, and the Giants are a magic team.

Cinderella Journalism at its finest.

by WanderingMoses on Oct 22, 2010 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions

How do you know which team is the magic one? Rainbows and Unicorns?

by Shazbot on Oct 22, 2010 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions

He asked the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Puff the Magic Dragon, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

by WanderingMoses on Oct 22, 2010 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions

SUCK IT TERENCE MOORE

by Boundforbeach on Oct 22, 2010 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Any relation to the Legendary Highwayman Dennis Moore?

Dennis Moore, Dennis Moore, riding through the night…
“Give me your lupins!”
…
“Wow…this redistribution of wealth stuff is more complicated than I thought!”
…
[with apologies to Monty Python]

by woodyj on Oct 22, 2010 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions

He steals from the poor, and gives to the rich…

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 23, 2010 2:11 AM EDT up reply actions

I really like that he accuses the Game 5 outcome of “Wasting everyone’s time.”

Hey! I had important things to do…how dare you prolong baseball?

by Trev223 on Oct 22, 2010 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Hey, who was that ‘God Bless America’ lady with the crazy hat?

But I do know that if you have a chance to feature a woman wearing a stupendous-looking hat (that may or may not include a working BART train) while singing one of our most patriotic songs, you have to push her out there every time.

Absolutely agree, except for the fact that she CURSED THE GIANTS

by Wet Luzinski on Oct 22, 2010 11:52 AM EDT reply actions

Just for fun - Danys Baez

Someone last night made a comment that the only way they would allow Baez to come into the game would be if the Phillies scored 8 more runs (it was 3-2 at the time) and that reminded me of a baseball tale about rookie pitcher Ernie Shore. (Baez, of course, can’t come in to any games now since he’s not on the playoff roster, but no matter – the idea remains valid.)
Ernie Shore, yes, the famous one who pitched a perfect game in relief of Babe Ruth, made his debut in 1912 for the New York Giants. He was sent out to the mound for the 9th inning against the Boston Braves with the Giants leading 21-2. He finished the game, and under the rules that were later established in 1969 for a save, he “earned” a save that day which shows in his official record. His performance was bad enough that he didn’t make another major league appearance until 1914 with the Red Sox. Shore gave up ten runs on eight hits, a walk, and an error. Only three runs were earned, but that must be some sort of record for most runs in an inning in one’s debut.
Nowadays this wouldn’t happen, but it does show that bad pitching in the 9th inning can cost you ten runs.

by phillyinportland on Oct 22, 2010 6:20 PM EDT reply actions