A Few Phillies Links For You, September 30, 2010: Rotation Juggling, NL Pennant Race

by WholeCamels on Sep 30, 2010 8:05 AM EDT

Standing-room only tickets available for Phillies series
Wouldn't it be funny if a half-assed Phillies team took it to a Braves team that was fighting for its life?

World Series could be rematch of greatest Fall Classic
I don't even know what to say about this. Go Phillies? It does bother me when sportswriters focus on off-field narrative crap as opposed to real matchup issues.

Sam Donnellon: Which Phillies offense will show up for postseason?
Preview: "Swagger" will play a role.

Phillies Notebook: Taking an educated guess at Phillies' playoff rotation
With bonus passive-aggressive photo caption

DN Editorial: A special species of fans
And then a child was punched in the kidneys.

Lowe leads Braves past Marlins 5-1
Wow, this Marlins team just rolled over and died these last few weeks.

Young throws 5 strong innings to lead Padres
Keep pace with the Braves in the NL Wild Card race.

Homer, Lincecum drop Giants' magic number
Tim Lincecum is getting into a nice groove. The Giants could be scary.

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Comments

What a great game last night. It reminded me in some ways of the final game of 2008 where guys like Lou Marson hit a homer and the JayVee team put the hurting on the Nubbs.

I don’t even know why it was even worth mentioning in the Phillies Notebook article (and photo caption) that Hamels has never pitched on short rest. The way the playoffs are set up these days, short rest does not need to happen that much. Besides, Hamels would never be that guy to pitch on 3 days’ rest anyway. I would rather rely on Doc and Oswalt to do the same.

Or, put Cookies in there. If we make it to the NLCS, I am looking for a Cookies start followed by some sort of hijinks that always seems to follow whenever Blanton has started.

by WanderingMoses on Sep 30, 2010 8:30 AM EDT reply actions

The Padres rotation became a bit scarier(scary) now that they have Chris Young to go with Mat Latos. Young has looked pretty good so far since coming back from injury.

5-8-10...the day the Purdue Boilermakers basketball team won the 2011 NCAA Championship!!

by EREX21 on Sep 30, 2010 8:34 AM EDT reply actions

But it’s the Giants that really worry me. There… I said it.

by Boundforbeach on Sep 30, 2010 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions

ditto

by dannijd on Sep 30, 2010 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions

Latos and a healthy, effective Young are sort of close to as effective as Lincecum and Cain. Combine that with the superior bullpen in San Diego and an Offense only slightly more inept than San Fran’s and I think things even out some.

by Cormican on Sep 30, 2010 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions

That being said, Latos is kind of in the tank recently- an ERA over 10 in his last 4 starts.

by dannijd on Sep 30, 2010 8:55 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Nice to see him come back strong but...

I’ll take the Padres over the Giants, Reds and Braves this Postseason

by h2o_34_35_44 on Sep 30, 2010 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions

You’re talking about very small differences in a short series. In the big picture, they’re all beatable and they’re all capable of beating us.

by taco pal on Sep 30, 2010 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions

This

by schmenkman on Sep 30, 2010 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions

So it’s looking like Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels in that order. I am sort of surprised they’re not going R-L-R for the rotation, particularly given the way that Charlie went out of his way last year in the playoffs to pitch Hamels during home games.

by Boundforbeach on Sep 30, 2010 9:17 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

In Charlie we trust

by h2o_34_35_44 on Sep 30, 2010 9:21 AM EDT up reply actions

I think much of that has to do with Oswalt’s out of mind performances at CBP. Oswalt is also on record as stating that he enjoys pitching on the mound at the Bank.

by WanderingMoses on Sep 30, 2010 9:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Exactly and Hamels has pitched well in many of the playoff bound team’s parks.

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

by boknows71 on Sep 30, 2010 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Same can be said for Oswalt and Halladay. I would almost make the case for Halladay being the 3rd starter so that when the series goes to hostile grounds we have our best pitcher on the mound but, that being said, No team has the starting rotation pitching that the Phillies can throw at you so, asside from SF Hamels would be the clear better option.

by h2o_34_35_44 on Sep 30, 2010 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions

Also, Halladay pitched poorly at San Francisco (7.0 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR) at San Francisco, and gave up 4 runs (including 2 home runs) off of 13 hits while striking out 10 at Cincinnatti (granted in the beginning of Cerberez, so with Sardinha calling for a fastball to start off every runner)… the Phillies may like the idea of his first playoff game being at CBP- he did not pitch against the Giants there, but pitched 9 scoreless innings v. Cincinnati there.

by dannijd on Sep 30, 2010 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions

Don’t you automatically get R-L-R no matter when Hamels pitches? He is the only lefty.
Game 2 = R
Game 3 = L
Game 4 = R

by Vaughn Haze on Sep 30, 2010 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions

That’s a good point.

Also, I don’t see how alternating righties and lefties in separate games would help you anyway. It’s not like alternating R and L batters in the lineup of a single game.

by taco pal on Sep 30, 2010 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions

I’ll bet this has as much to do with getting Halladay and Oswalt to experience the home playoff atmosphere, after all those years (of waiting), more than anything else. After all, we don’t even know the opponent yet, so it’s not a matchup thing.

by Wet Luzinski on Sep 30, 2010 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions

That’s nice. (Although Oswalt did get to experience the playoffs in Houston several times.)

by taco pal on Sep 30, 2010 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Ha… McCovey Chronicles has a formal Thank-You card on the front page this morning to Tampa Bay for making Pat Burrell the player to be named later.

http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/

by Boundforbeach on Sep 30, 2010 9:20 AM EDT reply actions

It’s even funnier because they brought up Matt White.

5-8-10...the day the Purdue Boilermakers basketball team won the 2011 NCAA Championship!!

by EREX21 on Sep 30, 2010 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions

It does bother me when sportswriters focus on off-field narrative crap as opposed to real matchup issues.

I completely agree with this. Our attitude should be that these writers can take their “praise” and stick it. We hated this crap when we were on the other end of it, and we shouldn’t like it any more now that we’re getting the attention. Screw them.

by taco pal on Sep 30, 2010 10:04 AM EDT reply actions

They spin and sell these narratives, then they get screwed when the "favored" teams don’t pan out. They loved 2009, but everyone was so obsessed with "zOMG MANNY vs. RED SOX" in 2008 that when the overlooked Phillies and Rays reached the Series, you heard a collective groan, “this is boring,” etc.

So they’re going to pimp Phillies and Yankees again. And then piss and moan when the World Series match-up is Reds vs. Twins.

There’s a pretty significant "self-fulfilling prophecy" thing going on here.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Sep 30, 2010 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions

Wow, this Marlins team just rolled over and died these last few weeks.

I thought the Marlins played tough only against the Braves just to spite them. That’s what I’d been told, at least.

by taco pal on Sep 30, 2010 10:36 AM EDT reply actions

just too funny…some of those commenters were really being whiny bitches a few weeks ago.

by Boundforbeach on Sep 30, 2010 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Everyone knows that the only things that anyone in the world who isn’t affiliated with the Braves ever thinks about are the Braves and their fans and how we can ruin their lives. Our lives totally revolve around them. We have no other existence outside of our roles as their antagonists.

by taco pal on Sep 30, 2010 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Don’t forget how classless we are because we don’t revere their wife-beating manager.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Sep 30, 2010 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions

So...

completely random observation. I was watching DNL the other day and I’m fully convinced that Mike Kern and Les Bowen are 1 tick above being mentally retarded. They never talk about anything insightful and just regurgitate information we already know while asking stupid questions. Mike Kern even looks like an idiot with just a blank expression on his face.

Braves fans are thinking a sweep of the Phils, but me thinks they take only 1.

by Off_The_Hook on Sep 30, 2010 11:38 AM EDT reply actions

Bowen is actually one of the best sportswriters in Philadelphia, in my opinion. Don’t know much about Kern.

by taco pal on Sep 30, 2010 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions

Eh,

I haven’t read many of his pieces, so that may be the case. On DNL he didn’t add much to the conversation and asked pointless questions.

by Off_The_Hook on Sep 30, 2010 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I can believe it. Two different skill sets.

by taco pal on Sep 30, 2010 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Les is pretty good. Mike Kern’s real focus is PGA/golf and horse racing, so he really doesn’t know a lot about the other sports aside from what the “general Philly fan” knows. Both he and Donnellon will give you the LCD fan response to just about any question.

I still love Bowen for needling Reid all those years and Andy’s famous, “This isn’t hockey, Les.”

Lex clavatoris designati rescindenda est.

by doubleh on Sep 30, 2010 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions

I don’t know if any of you saw it but the Marlins lost to the Rangers on a walk-off strikeout. It’s pretty crazy. Google it. There’s a video on youtube as well. (It auto-plays)

Flyers Fans: We've survived Lock-outs, Lindros and Cooperalls. If you want to get rid of us, you'll have to split an atom or two.

by KreiderDesigns on Sep 30, 2010 2:57 PM EDT reply actions

(Mariners)

by taco pal on Sep 30, 2010 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow. I even watching the clip as I was typing that. Total fail.

Flyers Fans: We've survived Lock-outs, Lindros and Cooperalls. If you want to get rid of us, you'll have to split an atom or two.

by KreiderDesigns on Sep 30, 2010 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Somewhere (Elias?) it was noted that the last time it was done was by the Phillies in 2005.

by phillyinportland on Sep 30, 2010 6:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Here’s the box score.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI200508030.shtml

I have no memory of this game.

by taco pal on Sep 30, 2010 6:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks for checking

Seems like this should happen more often than every five years. The two situations were very different. Phillies had bases loaded, one out, and a 3-2 count. If Burrell doesn’t swing at the pitch there’s a chance the winning run is walked in. The Rangers had a guy on first with two outs and a 2-2 count. Scoring him on the play was crazy.
Seems like I have a vague memory of winning a game this way but I would only have read about it, as those days I would have been at work when it happened.

by phillyinportland on Sep 30, 2010 8:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Jose Lopez. Franklin Guitterez. I have so much fantasy rage directed at the Mariners that I can do nothing but smile at that level of ineptitude. That offense is 1962 Metsish, with Ichiro playing the part of Richie Ashburn. The suckiest bunch of sucks, etc.

Video notes:
1. Hey, is that Keith Moreland’s kid on the Rangers?
2. What is that Mariner player/coach writing at the end of the clip?

by Wet Luzinski on Sep 30, 2010 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Awww

Mets can’t even do well in Arab League

Lex clavatoris designati rescindenda est.

by doubleh on Sep 30, 2010 4:33 PM EDT reply actions

Lol… I saw that on Stewart last night and busted up!

by dannijd on Sep 30, 2010 9:00 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

If your elbow just got sore, here’s why.

by Wet Luzinski on Sep 30, 2010 4:46 PM EDT reply actions

The poor, poor Reds.

Remember the Phitans

by RememberthePhitans on Sep 30, 2010 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Not a link, but just thought somebody might like to know that Skip Bayless is saying the Phillies are going to win the World Series. Not might. They will.
So, we’ve got that going for us!

by phillyinportland on Sep 30, 2010 6:38 PM EDT reply actions

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

Not Bayless! I hate that guy. Of course, he picked us to win it all in 2008…but still he’s an utter baffoon.

Lex clavatoris designati rescindenda est.

by doubleh on Sep 30, 2010 7:51 PM EDT up reply actions

NOOOOOOOOOOOO

The only way for the Phillies to won the WS is for everyone to be so picking the opponent that theydo not even think the opponent will need the minimum?

by dannijd on Sep 30, 2010 9:03 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Dude

It must be difficult to be a Pads fan watching this offense sometimes. Every time I get made at the Phillies offensive approach I shall have to remind myself that it could be worse.

Lex clavatoris designati rescindenda est.

by doubleh on Sep 30, 2010 9:04 PM EDT reply actions