Phillies' bullpen getting by despite injuries. Lidge has no structural damage, he just can't pitch. And Ruiz has a ligament strain. Both are "day to day," but really, aren't we all? Quoth the Beard:
"Shhhh," he said. "Shhhh."
I should have added another over/under - the number of pitchers the Phils will use this season. They're more than halfway to the record 28.
Let's face facts: Phillies need a new closer. Bob Ford apparently volunteers to help the Phillies eat a big salad bowl full of money they owe Brad Lidge.
Rockies' Tracy still peeved over Phillies' bullpen espionage.
"The suggestion was made that we're crying? We don't cry here, OK? I want to make that very clear right now," said Tracy. "We work very hard and we work within the framework. So when it's suggested that we're doing something like that, I take exception to that."There was a suggestion made that we should stop crying because we're complaining about it because we got beat. That's not why we're complaining about it. We're complaining about it because it's wrong."
Sounds like you got beat. (And for the record, I think this was in Mick Billmeyer's binoculars.)
Meanwhile, in Miami: Florida Marlins had suspected Phillies of cheating. And in New York, Jerry Manuel started some hot hot Manuel v. Manuel action.
Apparently, the Phillies cheated. So what? Thanks, fangraphs, for helping me not call out stupid today.
What should the Phillies do with Kendrick? Bill Baer has a few idears. Sadly, they are neither imminent nor involve the side of the barn.
This weekend's pitching matchups, in case the day off and postponement has you wondering. Grampy v. Wolfman tonight.
Marlins 2, Mets 1. Johan Santana and Josh Johnson faced off, then Jerry Manuel got involved, which means old pal Cody Ross has to score the game-winner on a wild pitch.
Nationals 14, Rockies 6. Zimmerman slugs it. Don't look now, but the Nats and the Phillies have the same number of wins.
Minor Leagues
Bump brilliant, but Pigs fall 2-1. Nate Bump: 7IP, 5H 0BB, 3K, a 2.51 ERA.
Reading was rained out, but down in Clearwater, Jesus was once again amid the palms:
|
Clearwater |
||||||||
|
Player |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
HR |
ERA |
|
9.0 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
0 |
3.07 |
|
Hillman's genius lost in translation. Joe Posnanski's worth-a-read piece on SI.com about the Royals' recent managerial firing.
none of the reasons why the Royals hired Hillman in the first place quite worked out. He was known for his sense of the game, but his Royals consistently played clueless baseball. He was known for his deep belief in the fundamentals -- "there are no little things," was one of his mottos -- but the Royals were a terrible defensive team and a terrible baserunning team on his watch. He was known as a man who related well with players and the community, but his players often didn't seem to get him, and his appearances in public were often just bizarre.
MLB not boycotting Arizona. There. Now that's settled.