That Was Quick: Phillies 3, Mets 0

by taco pal on Sep 12, 2010 3:57 PM EDT

After only two hours and fifteen minutes of play on a drearily chilly and overcast afternoon, the Phillies completed a 3-0 victory over the New York Mets in the rubber game of their weekend series in Flushing. The win gives the Phils their fourteenth series win in their last sixteen series (including the one-game make-up "series" in Coors Field on September 2).

The Phils' lineup got off to a quick start against Mets pitcher Jon Niese, kicking off the game with a single by Shane Victorino (who, shockingly, seems to have begun employing a smart approach at the plate all of a sudden), a walk by Placido Polanco, and an RBI single by Chase Utley. But Niese came back to strike out Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, and Raul Ibanez in succession, preventing any further damage.

Both Niese and Phillies' starter Roy Oswalt then settled into five-and-a-half ultra-efficient innings, featuring only five more batters than the minimum and exactly one extra-base hit. Thankfully, that one extra-base hit (a double by Polanco in the third) came around to score on a two-out RBI single by the red-hot Howard.

The Phillies added a third run in the seventh on a monster homer to center field by the intermittently-hot Ibanez. Meanwhile, Oswalt cruised to a complete game shutout. While not exactly dominant per se (he struck out six), he walked only one batter and recorded fourteen groundouts. The Mets never did end up getting any extra-base hits, and no Met baserunner reached scoring position all day long.

Oh, also, Ryan Madson didn't pitch today. Hooray.

Next up for the Phillies is a three-game series in Miami. Joe Blanton will open it up tomorrow evening against Shane Victorino's favorite Marlin, Andrew Miller. In the meantime, the Braves will attempt to maintain their first-place tie with the Phillies tonight on ESPN. What inane commentary will Morgan & friends come up with about the division race, and which team's fan base will be more annoyed by it? Only one way to find out!

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YAY GUYS!

by PhillyFriar on Sep 12, 2010 3:59 PM EDT reply actions

Winning all those series really adds up. Add in the last game of the Cardinals series before the last 16, and the record is 35-15, a nifty .700 winning percentage. The last time I can specifically recall the team going 35-15 or better was the magical start to the 1993 season when they started 35-15 on their way to a 51-21 record, one that rivaled the 1976 team for the greatest start in team history.

by phillyinportland on Sep 12, 2010 4:31 PM EDT reply actions

at that rate, it’s another 12 wins for the Phillies, which would put them at 95 wins.

by Wet Luzinski on Sep 12, 2010 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Heck of a game by Oswalt today. 113 pitches in a complete game shutout. He will be scary if he is the third starter in a 3 man rotation in the playoffs.

The Mikan Drill

by JoshuaR on Sep 12, 2010 4:35 PM EDT reply actions

required hedging to appease/not anger baseball gods “Gotta get there first.” required hedging to appease/not anger baseball gods

by Chutley's Impressed by Mac's Speed on Sep 12, 2010 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Caveat accepted.

The Mikan Drill

by JoshuaR on Sep 12, 2010 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions

All cheers to Baseba'al

Hey Dez, it's 2am do you know where your mother is?

by sowhatifitisasportste on Sep 12, 2010 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Was there today. Oswalt wasn’t “dominant” the way, say Hamels is at his best, but he generated a ton of weak contact.

Between the 1st and the 9th, Niese had the only Mets hit.

by dajafi on Sep 12, 2010 5:45 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

BABIP-vs since joining the Phillies has been astoundingly low.

by taco pal on Sep 12, 2010 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, .232 that is shocking. It will be interesting to see how long he can sustain that and what he will do when that begins to regress to the mean.

The Mikan Drill

by JoshuaR on Sep 12, 2010 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Even with regression, his numbers would still be pretty good though.

by taco pal on Sep 12, 2010 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Actually reminds me of, well, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, who had quite a run of BABIP luck immediately upon joining the Phillies. His regressed to the mean, as well, but he was still pretty good despite that, and I anticipate the same sort of effect with Oswalt.

by PhillyFriar on Sep 12, 2010 11:00 PM EDT up reply actions

After tonight, the Phillies’ and Braves’ schedules will be almost completely identical.

6 games vs. each other (home and home)
6 games vs. Nationals
3 games vs. Mets, 3 games vs. Marlins

The only difference is that we’ll get the Mets at home and the Marlins on the road, while the Braves will get the reverse.

by taco pal on Sep 12, 2010 5:49 PM EDT reply actions

Nicely put. So, that thing about how the Braves would have the easier time of it because of more home games is a thing of the past. I wonder if someone looked at the Phillies schedule and didn’t take into account the extra three home games vs. Toronto and assumed they still had more road games to play than was the case.

by phillyinportland on Sep 12, 2010 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I’ve recently been thinking a bit about how big of a margin we’d need to win the division by in order to keep Bobby Cox and the rest of the Braves from complaining. This would involve adding up the number of Phillies wins and/or Braves losses that could be considered questionable in any way (even if only by 1%) + 1 more game, while subtracting zero of the Phillies losses and/or Braves wins that could be considered questionable in any way.

Clearly, the Marlins foul ball game would be 1. Plus the 2 Blue Jays games that we won in that series that got moved to Philadelphia. So, we would need to win by at least 4 games. But are there any others I’m forgetting?

by taco pal on Sep 12, 2010 9:22 PM EDT up reply actions

There was that Braves game earlier in the year at CBP that the Phils won 5-3, where 3 of the Phils’ runs were scored via solo homers. We should totally subtract that one, because CBP is a bandbox but the Braves didn’t hit any homers so it’s not fair. In fact, they hit two long flyballs off Lidge in the 9th that got caught, but only because the wind knocked them down. So clearly the Phillies cheated somehow.

by ThinMountainAir on Sep 12, 2010 10:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Actually, you would probably have to subtract out any win that was caused, even vaguely by OFJOAB… that being said, all losses caused by same would count against the Phillies. This creates a gap that it is impossible to create at this point in the season. So have the cotton ready for your ears and be prepared for Cox to cry foul if the Phillies win the East.

by dannijd on Sep 13, 2010 10:23 AM EDT up reply actions

braves upcoming matchups (era/fip/xfip/siera)

Tonight: Tim Hudson vs. Kyle Lohse (7.13/4.29/5.09/4.90)
Monday: Derek Lowe vs. Yunesky Maya (not enough data)
Tuesday: Jair Jurrjens vs. Livan Hernandez (3.82/3.92/4.82/4.96)
Wednesday: Mike Minor vs. John Lannan (4.69/4.53/4.65/4.81)

Maya’s pretty much the ultimate unknown quantity, but none of the other three guys are particularly good. It wouldn’t be surprising at all if they went 4-0. All games are at Turner.

by taco pal on Sep 12, 2010 5:55 PM EDT reply actions

Was busy most of the day but I thought I could see some of the game. Got home by 3, figured I could catch the rest from the 6th inning on. I guess not.

by j reed on Sep 12, 2010 7:53 PM EDT reply actions

Lol… I had to work (part time Cooking job) at 4, so I was kind of thankful for Oswalt being efficient. Sorry that you did not get to see it.

by dannijd on Sep 12, 2010 9:04 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Madson

His not pitching was the second-best part of the game. (The win was the other.)

by David S. Cohen on Sep 12, 2010 8:11 PM EDT reply actions

Dizzy Gillespie allegedly once said that it took him 30 years to learn what not to play. Charlie is apparently taking the same 30 years to learn who not to play.

Remember the Phitans

by RememberthePhitans on Sep 12, 2010 9:17 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL!

by dannijd on Sep 13, 2010 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions

My hypothesis about Victorino is that his approach, rather than “smart”, will turn out to be “idiot savant”. Time will tell if Victorino has suddenly turned into a prince after being a frog all ~~season~~ career long or whether this is just one of those spells.

Remember the Phitans

by RememberthePhitans on Sep 12, 2010 9:07 PM EDT reply actions

Crazy as it sounds, batting leadoff may be good for him. I am not sure why it would cause an attitude change from him, but he appears to do better when he is there. That being said, this could totally be a blind squirrel, nut thing, so enjoy it while it lasts.

by dannijd on Sep 13, 2010 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions

If WC did the write up, I’m guessing there would be an Afternoon Delight link for this quickie. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), he’s probably waking up in a bathtub filled with ice in a New Orleans flophouse right about now, wondering how in the hell he got there.

Remember the Phitans

by RememberthePhitans on Sep 12, 2010 9:22 PM EDT reply actions

Sorry, but I can’t possibly be expected to fill those shoes. Consider me the Wilson Valdez of TGP fill-ins.

I hope WC still has both kidneys, at least.

by taco pal on Sep 12, 2010 9:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Only need one anyways. I’m thinking of selling one off on craigslist.

Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.

by FuquaManuel on Sep 12, 2010 10:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Let’s hope he has all his organs.

by Wet Luzinski on Sep 12, 2010 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I love that the Mets’ run differential is now 0. They have scored 578 and allowed 578. That’s what $140 million gets you when Omar Minaya is the one spending it.

by ThinMountainAir on Sep 12, 2010 10:20 PM EDT reply actions

Also, fuck you, Pedro Feliz. Seriously. Fuck you and your total lack of anything resembling plate discipline.

by ThinMountainAir on Sep 12, 2010 10:21 PM EDT reply actions

At least he is consistent!

by dannijd on Sep 13, 2010 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions

I really, really like Oswalt. He’s an amazing pitcher.

by Shazbot on Sep 13, 2010 2:10 AM EDT reply actions

Just an oh, by the way, the poor San Diego Padres must be wondering what they have to do to get away from the Rockies, who were, what, 8 or 10 games behind them a couple of weeks ago. And now they go to Colorado for three games, site of their playoff loss in 2007 that sent them into a two-year tailspin. The way the Giants and Rockies are playing I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Padres finish third, maybe even out of the running before the final weekend.

by phillyinportland on Sep 13, 2010 2:52 AM EDT reply actions

While dangerous, they can also look at the series as a golden opportunity to right the ship in a big way.

by taco pal on Sep 13, 2010 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions

I would not be surprised if the Padres go the wrong kind of first to third over the course of this week’s series in Colorado. While I agree with Taco that the Padres have the chance to right the ship, the Rockies are a very good home team on a very strong roll.

by dannijd on Sep 13, 2010 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions