Play the Game: Phillies 9, Nationals 1

by WholeCamels on Sep 17, 2010 9:59 PM EDT

Roy Oswalt twirled six strong innings, and the Phillies offense exploded for six runs in the first off Nationals' starter Jason Marquis, en route to a 9-1 Phillies victory over the Washington Nationals.

The Nationals scored their sole run in the top of the first off Oswalt, who took command from that point on, scattering six hits and a walk over six innings, striking out seven.

The tone of the game was set in the first inning, as shortstop Wilson Valdez came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out, and the Phillies leading 3-1. When he hit a hard grounder toward the middle of the diamond, it looked like a sure double play (surprise!), until the ball struck umpire Tim Tschida, and deflected into the outfield. Instead of ending the inning with a 3-1 score, the score sat at 4-1, with just one out.

Jayson Werth added a solo home run in the fifth inning, and Carlos Ruiz jumped on board for a two run bomb in the bottom of the eighth.

Chad Durbin, Jose Contreras, and J.C. Romero each contributed a scoreless inning of relief.

via www.fangraphs.com

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Is that in honor Sacha Baran Cohen being announced as the actor playing Freddie Mercury in a new biopic?

"Call me dumb, call me stupid, whatever. I block shots."

by boknows71 on Sep 17, 2010 10:06 PM EDT reply actions

Really? Is he trying to go the Tom Hanks route?

by taco pal on Sep 17, 2010 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions

http://www.zmemusic.com/feature/news/sacha-baron-cohen-to-star-as-freddy-mercury-biopic-2451266/

"Call me dumb, call me stupid, whatever. I block shots."

by boknows71 on Sep 20, 2010 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Missed the game, in Pittsburgh for the weekend. Hitting up the Pirates and DBacks game on Sunday.

I see Oswalt only went 6 innings…seems short for him. Was Charlie trying to give him a rest in a blow out game or was his PC that high? 97 in 6 innings doesn’t seem terrible. Overall I would imagine he looked good considering he only gave up 1 ER and had 7K’s to 1 BB.

Braves and Mets were on the tv at the bar, was 3-0 Los Mets, then 3-1 and then for some reason they turned the game off…come to find the Braves came back to win. So much for everyone getting up for the Braves.

Looking forward to the Kevin Kolb era.
5-8-10...the day the Purdue Boilermakers basketball team won the 2011 NCAA Championship!!

by EREX21 on Sep 17, 2010 10:12 PM EDT reply actions

I was a bit surprised too that he didn’t pitch the 7th. My guess is that maybe Oswalt just told Charlie he was feeling tired. Or Charlie’s trying to save his starters when possible now that a playoff berth is looking quite likely.

by SethC on Sep 18, 2010 5:13 AM EDT up reply actions

Oswalt is pitching on 4 days rest on Wednesday against the Braves. No need to keep him in this game with that kind of lead; better to allow him to be more rested to face the Braves

by wildcatlh on Sep 18, 2010 7:44 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Pitching on 4 days rest is the norm. Starters pitch every 5th day.

Looking forward to the Kevin Kolb era.
5-8-10...the day the Purdue Boilermakers basketball team won the 2011 NCAA Championship!!

by EREX21 on Sep 18, 2010 7:55 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, really

All six runs scored by the braves were unearned! Stupid david wright botching an easy throw to 2nd base!

by PhilsForever on Sep 18, 2010 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions

It is amazing, given the highs and lows of this season, that in order to match last year’s win total (93), the Phils need to go only 6-8 over the remaining 14. At the rate they are going now, they will probably win closer to 97 or 98, which would be the most since 1993.

by WanderingMoses on Sep 17, 2010 10:12 PM EDT reply actions

Wow- the Phillies have come a long way in just under two months (since 7-22). The fact the Phillies have this many wins and have not locked up the division speaks to how far Atlanta has come from last year- 6-8 would tie last year’s win total, but is not likely to be enough for the post season.

by dannijd on Sep 18, 2010 12:50 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Let’s say they go 9-5 (which would not be a stretch, IMO), that should be enough to finish it out, especially if at least one of those wins is against the Braves, and would give them 96 wins – something we may have expected early on when they were sitting at about 25-13, but not around July 22 when they were 48-46. It is quite the finish.

by WanderingMoses on Sep 18, 2010 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Definitely- I keep remembering something that Jimmy Rollins said around that time, “It’s not over. You can write it like it’s over. But the guys with the bats and the balls they control what the pen says. … We’ve still got time. We either make it more time or less time.” While the outcome has yet to be determined (and despite his earlier declarations that his magic 8 ball was gone), Rollins was right on there still being enough time to make another rub for it.

by dannijd on Sep 18, 2010 3:44 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Screw the drama, that is one of the most beautiful graphs of the year. The only better one was probably from Agincourt.

Remember the Phitans

by RememberthePhitans on Sep 17, 2010 10:23 PM EDT reply actions

As Yom Kippur Services took me away

Let me say both that this was just another solid game….

and go Blueclaws! One more win to repeat.

by philsandthrills on Sep 17, 2010 10:49 PM EDT reply actions

Though I am a gentile, I missed the game as well unfortunately. I did happen to catch some talk radio after the game, however. Someone please tell me that I misheard them when I thought they said that Charlie had Madson warming up with a 7-1 lead and only decided not to use him when Ruiz hit the homer. Because if that actually happened, it’s totally unacceptable.

by taco pal on Sep 17, 2010 11:19 PM EDT reply actions

sorry. was the truth.

by Bilzo on Sep 17, 2010 11:48 PM EDT up reply actions

I can’t even convey how offensive this is. It doesn’t go nearly far enough to call Charlie a moron over this. He is actively risking sabotage of this team.

I do not consider myself to be either a Charlie booster or a Charlie basher. But I will say that I think the Homer-like lovable persona is largely just a facade. Charlie can be every bit as smug and pigheaded as Ruben Amaro can be. It just isn’t as obviously noticeable when it’s covered over with a hillbilly accent.

by taco pal on Sep 18, 2010 12:21 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah. If Madson winds up hurt or otherwise ineffective, I think Charlie should be severely reprimanded or fired. Of course, he won’t be.

Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.

by FuquaManuel on Sep 18, 2010 1:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Seems like Marquis got dealt a pretty rotten hand in that first inning. One RBI infield single, one RBI seeing-eye grounder, and one dead DP ball off the umpire. Not that I feel bad about it or anything.

by taco pal on Sep 17, 2010 11:20 PM EDT reply actions

He didn’t help himself out with the walks though. However the strike zone seemed a bit tight early on.

by j reed on Sep 18, 2010 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed on both counts- the strike zone appeared to get broader over the course of the game, but the zone in the first inning was bread box sized- that being said- he only walked one and hit the 7th batter he faced- with a fair amount of bad ball in play luck in between.

by dannijd on Sep 18, 2010 12:40 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I was at this game. My brother got me tickets so I took my daughter we sat up in the 400 nose bleed section. Went down to the smoking aera than some guy who was leaving said “You want some great seats I’m leaving they are right behind home plate” I asked “How much” He said “Take em I gota go”. So than I sit down and the guy next to me looks just like Jason Werth.

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

by sowhatifitisasportste on Sep 17, 2010 11:43 PM EDT reply actions

That guy for the loss

You for the win

by Chutley's Impressed by Mac's Speed on Sep 17, 2010 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions

I was there too!

What section were you in when you moved down? I was in the front row of 125.

by dannijd on Sep 18, 2010 12:24 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I too am not of the kosher faith

but I had to pick someone up for the bar so I had to listen to the last 2 innings (not complaining as LA & Franzke > Marlee Matlin & A retarded chimp > Wheels & T-Mac).

But since I couldn’t post and it was still an awesome game (and since I assume nobody is on their work computer…):

by Chutley's Impressed by Mac's Speed on Sep 17, 2010 11:56 PM EDT reply actions

Hey, Chipper some waitress from Hooters just called and she said for me to tell you “It’s pink”

by j reed on Sep 18, 2010 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions

Two lines…or is it a plus sign? LOL.

Lex clavatoris designati rescindenda est.

by doubleh on Sep 18, 2010 1:09 AM EDT up reply actions

LOL!! That is rich!

by dannijd on Sep 18, 2010 1:34 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I like the chipper one.

Remember the Phitans

by RememberthePhitans on Sep 18, 2010 7:10 AM EDT up reply actions

I think Chooch killed broxton… He’s been moved to the 7th inning guy and he looks bad.

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

by sowhatifitisasportste on Sep 18, 2010 12:21 AM EDT reply actions

Overuse killed Broxton. He was just killed early in the season with non-save situations, two inning jobs, etc. For a while, after the first month or two, he was pitching almost every day.

That, and he’s 4,000 pounds. The latter may or may not be a contributor, but when he’s sucking, everyone picks on the fat guy for being fat.

Be careful, Charlie.

Remember the Phitans

by RememberthePhitans on Sep 18, 2010 7:13 AM EDT up reply actions

While you are right, the idea of Chooch killing Broxton is so much more fun to think of- “He is currently owned by Carlos Ruiz”….

by dannijd on Sep 18, 2010 1:37 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Shit yo

Posting this from The ATL, I had Braves fans toasting me by the end of tonight, It took me a lot of booze, but yeah.

"I remember being three and I wanted to be a baseball player, that's all I ever really wanted to be. That and Spider Man." -Raul Ibanez

by Jose and the Contrarians on Sep 18, 2010 1:36 AM EDT reply actions

Booze for you or for them, or both?

Remember the Phitans

by RememberthePhitans on Sep 18, 2010 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Ruiz

Carlos Ruiz has had an incredible season. He’s:

At least the 4th best hitter on the team this season, arguably 3rd. Yet he still bats 7th and/or 8th.
Worth 3.7 wins above replacement, behind only Utley and Werth.
Incredibly, FanGraphs says he’s been worth $14.8 million this year ALONE. Last off season he signed for less than $9 million across THREE YEARS!

by christonabike on Sep 18, 2010 12:33 PM EDT reply actions

I was just scrolling through Yahoo fantasy baseball earlier this AM…looks like I’m gonna win my league, and I was just checking to see who on my team had really good past month.
I have Hamels, Halladay, Rollins, Polanco, Ruiz, Victorino, and Madson as my Phils. (playing with buddies in NC allows you to get a heavy Phils lineup drafting players at realistic spots).

Anyway…back to Ruiz.
I recognize these may not be the most important stats…but they’re the ones we use in my league.

Mauer: 163H/494 AB; 87R, 9 HR, 74 RBI, 19 GIDP, 234 TB, .405 OBP, -2 SB
Ruiz: 101H/337 AB; 40R, 8 HR, 49 RBI, 7 GIDP, 150 TB, .402 OBP, -1 SB

Mauer has 146.6% of the ABs that Ruiz has. While it’s not realistic to assume that Ruiz could uphold the other stats at the same rate if given ~160 AB (possible yes, but can’t assume it) he’d extrapolate out to:

Ruiz: 148H/494AB; 58R, 12HR, 71 RB, 10 GIDP, 220 TB, .402 OB, -1.5 SB

Impressive.

by Bilzo on Sep 18, 2010 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow- Chooch has been en fuego this year! He is quickly growing into one of my favorite players on this team!

by dannijd on Sep 18, 2010 1:40 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

We should make a remix of “The Good Life” by Kayne West and make it into “The Good Phight”…… just throwing it out there

Kolb - a heavy medieval war club with a spiked or flanged metal head, used to crush armor - Wikipedia of course
I've been waiting my whole life for an Eagles Championship
RIP JJ

by sports00fan00 on Sep 18, 2010 3:03 PM EDT reply actions