Phils set for sweep against Livan’s chunky meatball

Last time the Phillies faced Livan Hernandez, it took eight innings before the Phils finally scorched his low-80s fastball.

Last night, Brett Myers and the Phillies had the advantage over a weaker Nationals lineup. Today, the tide is about even.

Hernandez (3-5, 5.35 ERA) has slowed considerably since last season, but always pitches the Phillies tough. His longest outing this season was 7 1-3 innings against the Phils on April 19. Lifetime, he’s 9-7 with a 3.38 ERA in 22 starts against them.

Cory Lidle (4-4, 4.92 ERA) will likely spot the Nats three runs in six innings, about his average this season. For those watching at home, Lidle's top half will make for a good time to throw some jalapeno poppers in the oven, do some light gardening, or catch up on correspondence. Come back around the seventh inning, sit down with your nice plate of poppers, and the Nationals' score should be holding around 3 or 4.

Pat Burrell, David Bell and Mike Lieberthal will sit out this game. David Dellucci, Abraham Nunez and Sal Fasano will hit 6-7-8. For both Dellucci and Nunez, this is their first start since May 17.

This will be Fasano’s 22nd start in 51 games, catching Lidle for (I think) only the second time. Fasano went 2-for-4 with an RBI double on Monday.

Comments

[Lake Fred]

This is off topic, but I just heard on the radio that Clemens signed with Houston for $22 Million. He will first pitch for the 'stros in about three weeks. If he gets 22 starts (I doubt it), that's a million dollars a start. What a racket Clemens has! He uses the system to avoid spring training and half the season and pulls in obscene green. Abreu seems like a bargain, now, and Bobby plays the whole season!

[Oisin]

The cook in me is curious, Jason. What's a jalapeno popper?

[J. Weitzel]

Jalapeno poppers are stuffed with a cream cheese mixture then battered and deep fried to make delicious little appetizers. Often found in the frozen food section, packaged poppers will require about 15 minutes in a preheated, 375 degree oven. Let cool 5 minutes. Serve.

[kdon]

"What's a jalapeno popper?"

I feel so sorry for you Oisin.

[Oisin]

Aahhh, jalapeno's with cheese . . . mmmm . . . but battered and deep fried? even better!

[RickSchuBlues]

This is also off topic, but I stand corrected on Brito. Let's hope he has something to offer; his start will come directly after Floyd and Madson, and I worry about the state of the bullpen for the Dodgers' series.

[SamDracula]

You can either get them stuffed with cream cheese or monterrey jack cheese. I prefer the latter. Life just isn't worth living without a plate of poppers.

[Bonedaddy]

"This is off topic, but I just heard on the radio that Clemens signed with Houston for $22 Million."

That will be prorated over the season from whenever he joins the Astros. If he meets the target date, he will earn close to 13 million this year

[Oisin]

definitely going to check out some recipes for that. They sound very tasty.

Now hear's a thing. ESPN's ad for the world cup has a suspiciously familiar sounding voiceover and a u2 track in the background. Can anyone confirm whether that's Bono? It has his suspicously smug 'I'm a good person' tones. (I went to his school, you know. Me and about 1/5 of north dublin's population.)

[Oisin]

hmmm. not to second guess the catcher, but do you really pitch Soriano away?

[ae]

I'm pretty damn sure it is indeed Bono. there's actually three or four of those ads rotating around.

[Oisin]

Now I'm curious about how they pitched soriano. according to hit tracker, most of soriano's hits are to left field, which suggests to me they should have jammed him inside, as he may have had trouble turning on it. but I can't see how many of those were on inside pitches.

[Casey]

Leadoff Jimmy: 2 PA, 3 pitches seen. Great!

[Lake Fred]

Thanks, Bone Daddy. The Foxsports Clemens news article gives a prorated salary of $12.25 million. Assuming perfect health and pitching every fifth day, Roger will get 22 starts, for a little over $550,000 a start. That's still nice chump change. I'm sure he'll notch a victory or two against our beloved Phils. Arrghh!

[pawnking]

Finally! One gets out!

[pawnking]

Nunez gets an infield double! (ok, a single and an error). Not something you see every day.

[kdon]

RSB, did you find a scouting report on Brito? I looked everywhere but couldn't find anything definitive. I can't remember how hard he throws, only that he put up OK numbers.

Alright Dellucci! I'd like to see him spell Burrell once a week against RHP.

[kdon]

Did anyone SEE that pitch Fasano swung at!?!?!

[Oisin]

Nats commentators are saying that manuel has been desperate to get delluci more at bats. He's had a funny way of showing it. I didn't realise, but he has fewer at bats then nunez.

[pawnking]

Does anyone in baseball stink as much as Rollins right now?

[J. Weitzel]

Someone needs to grab Rollins by the seat of the pants and back him off the plate a few inches. A veteran with precision location like Hernandez will jam him every time. Rollins was right over the plate on that DP.

[Oisin]

PK, I beg to differ. Last seven days, J-Roll is managing a respectable .361 obp and .485 slg. today tho, *right now* he is stinking a bit. Yes indeed.

[pawnking]

Oisin, I know the truth, don't confuse me with the facts!

[pawnking]

Sorry, I just channeled Eskin there.

[Oisin]

that soon-to-be-baby of yours is frazzling your accountant's brain, sir. Plus, I get a rare chance to one-up you with numbers, so you've made me happy.

[pawnking]

lol

[kdon]

Sound more like you're channelling Steven Colbert PK ;)

Man, Lidle's splitter is nasty!

ALright, Utley, Abreu, Howard...lets do it!

[RickSchuBlues]

Lidle in the seventh inning? Look out.

[Oisin]

wish our pitchers could bunt like that. somewhere, whitey is grumbling the same thing.

[pawnking]

Too bad Rowand doesn't have Abreu's arm :-)

[RickSchuBlues]

Hate it when I'm right. Six-inning pitchers suck.

[kdon]

I don;t have a problem with Lidle starting the 7th, but how do you throw a 3-2 curveball to Mike Freakin Vento!?

[pawnking]

Never thought last year I'd be so happy to see Frenchie in the game.

[Oisin]

I was all set to try and correct you, RSB, but checking his number, lidle has never pitched more than 211 innings, and he only managed that last year. it seems like he is indeed just a 6 inning pitcher. dammit.

[pawnking]

Reagrding Lidle, you gets what you pay for.

[The other Adam]

And I thought Lidle was known for his "inning eating" ability?

[pawnking]

Nunez is the answer to my previous question.

[THat Dude]

If Lidle could gurantee you 6IP with 3er every time we'd be happy with that. His problem is he likes to sprinkle in those 10 run innings every 4th start.

[pawnking]

Well, that link didn't work. I meant this question

[Oisin]

Marlon Byrd repays us for snagging bobby's homer earlier on. sweet.

[RickSchuBlues]

Nunez is so bad, he has me longing for Alex Gonzalez. How do you not have a single RBI in two full months?!? And then not even know how to lay down a bunt? Too much.

[Oisin]

that's enough to wake the sleeping corpse of Whitey. There's a fantasy horror movie to play through - nunez at the bat, with a decomposing ashburn lumbering to the plate, his undead eyes burning with vengeance at the thought of a lousy bunt.

[pawnking]

Oisin, you're in good form today.

[Oisin]

naw. I've just got a best mate who insists on making me watch too many zombie movies. seeps into your psyche after a while.

[pawnking]

Wow. You really have to work to go 3-0 to Jimmy

[Oisin]

take the base jimmy. please. we're all chanelling bb.

[pawnking]

This might be the longest AB for jimmy all year.

[RickSchuBlues]

Oisin, I love it! Better yet, he'd burst through the concrete of Ashburn Alley, stagger in from center-field with the Phanavision following him and Harry Kalas joyously describing the action. He then commands Hernandez to throw him a pitch, which he lays down the third-base line, and beats it out. Nunez retires in the wake of such humilaition.

[Oisin]

and has his brains eaten. Never forget the brain eating.

[pawnking]

Rick, I'm starting to believe that a decomposing body can actually outplay Nunez.

[pawnking]

Oisin, is this the movie your friend made you watch? Excerpt: "Director Yudai Yamaguchi, in his debut film, gives us a world first - a baseball zombie horror comedy, complete with chainsaws, corpses sailing through the air and high-kicking kung-fu antics."

[Oisin]

speaking of horror movies, who's the body snatcher who took over 2005 geoff geary? And can we lock said extra terrestrial into his body?

[Oisin]

deadly. I'm so getting that.

[RickSchuBlues]

Ingenious move by Manuel to stack up his three best left-handed hitters consecutively. If ever the true value of Pat Burrell was on display, it's right here. But something could have been done to forsee precisely this situation late in the game

[Oisin]

that's some breaking stuff by stanton. 2.85 FIP so far this season. Can we have him in our bullpen?

[Oisin]

colour me v.impressed. that was some inning.

[The other Adam]

Its hard to win when you're top four pull an 0'fer

[Oisin]

Why is spiderman in flash's fan group? a curse on marvel, says the DC fanboy.

[kdon]

Yeah, that was bad. I guess that's a problem if you start Dellucci...maybe put Rowand in the 4 spot...Maniel's worst move was calling for that bunt. Nunez looked bad but I don;t think you bunt with the bottom of the order up in any case.

[pawnking]

Remember last year, when Myers grew that pointy bear, and looked a little like Ming the Merciless? I wish he'd grow it back at least for a little while. Then Ming and Flash Gordon can team up.

Kdon, his worst move was putting Nunez in to begin with. Actually, I can't blame Manuel for that. He has to play him sometime. But Nunez is brutal.

[Oisin]

Yeah, then ryan howard could grow a beard and be the hulking Prince Vultan. Or maybe that should be rowand. the way he jumps for balls in the outfield, he looks like he might have wings.

[pawnking]

Who would be Professor Zarkoff? I can't see Charlie in that role...

[Book]

Wow, the Phillies should be winning this game! I tried to go positive earlier today in regards to the Phils, well that was dumb of me, I should have just stuck with my negative disposition because I'm usually dead-on in that case.

Nunez is worthless. RSB put it well "how doesn't he have at least an RBI single 2 months into the season?"...seriously, what the hell is he doing on this team, and signed to a 2 year deal at that?

[Oisin]

yeah, charlie's not crazed enough. Has charlie ever been crazed in his life, I wonder.

[RickSchuBlues]

Can anyone tell me why the Phillies seem to win almost every Sunday afternoon home game but look totally flat every time they have a mid-week afternoon home game?

[Book]

I'll tell you why RSB, it's because they're simply just not that good of a team. Could be good, but just don't put it all together consistently enough to be good enough.

[Oisin]

Book, that hitting lineup is plenty good, but Hernandez is a philly killer through and through. We'll be 17-11 for may. I'm not complaining.

[pawnking]

The Phils are 0 for their last 5 1-run games. This isn't likely to continue. Hopefully, this will change today!

[Oisin]

RSB, pat is up. you should use your mental telepathic connection with Charlie more often. shame on you.

[pawnking]

Nunez, mighty Nunez, has advanced to the plate! Cordero is shaking in fear!

[Book]

Imagine if the Phillies could get rid of Nunez and Coste and get bench players who can actually contribute...they'd have a really solid bench then, because Dellucci and Victorino are definitely serving their purpose!

[Oisin]

aw crap. I don't believe manuel just did that.

[ae]

Dellucci, 3/4 with a single, double and HR. and we should have sat him?

[pawnking]

Nunez walks! I don't think Cordero can sleep at night knowing that!

[Book]

Nunez signing with Philly was the best thing to ever happen to Bell. Bell looks like Scott Rolen compared to Nunez, and that is a strong statement because I actually can't stand Bell...I just can't stand Nunez that much more!

[ae]

I think my Gameday is broken. did Nunez *really* draw a walk?

[RickSchuBlues]

Hm...must be time for a double-play.

[Oisin]

Ah, RSB, I see your plan. You KNEW nunez would walk. Cunning . . .

[Book]

RSB, you hold the power...just have faith in Burrell and he will produce....or maybe not.

[kdon]

Her we Go! Great move by Manuel to get Pat up in the right spot!

[Oisin]

how can burrell gripe about the phillies crowd when they cheer him like that as he gets to the plate?

[Book]

Well here comes my whipping boy...can he produce?

[RickSchuBlues]

Call me crazy, I actually want Bell up here.

[Oisin]

can't type. praying.

[pawnking]

Yippie. 0 for the last 6 1 run games.

[RickSchuBlues]

Call me crazy.

[Book]

Right there is why I can't stand Bell. His swing is so fricken ugly. He seriously has to lead the league is wussy pop-ups to infielders...he disgusts me!

[Lake Fred]

I hate these kind of games.

[Oisin]

damn. we could have done with a sweep going to LA. Hernandez deserved the win, tho'.

[Book]

And if you think I'm being harsh in my comments about Bell...they're mild compared to what I really want to type!

[kdon]

You're crazy.

[pawnking]

See you cats next time! Go Phils! Oisin, tell me how the movie turns out!

[Oisin]

I'ma off for the evening. got me some crazed japenese zombie chainsaw baseball flicks to source. Best to all.

[Book]

I love the Phillies, and I know you can't win every game...but that's what losers say fellas...today's game should have been a win along with a bunch of other games this season!

[kdon]

I agree book, I usually criticize posters that go by feel or look but Bell looks sooooo bad at the plate (as well as simply not producing)... all he can do is take meatballs the opposite way for singles. What was that!?

[RickSchuBlues]

Winning teams find a way to win games like this. Down one measly run at home in the final three innings, with four left on. Good times find a way to get it done. If they don't once in awhile, you say, ah - can't win 'em all. But the Phillies lose an inordinate amount of games like this.

[Lake Fred]

I'm at work watching the pictures of Dellucci and Nunez advance on the internet basepads as photos of Burrell and Bell pop up to bat as pinch hitters. My adrenaline is flowing only to see out number two pop up and then the field screen goes blank and the score remains the same with the word "final" attached to it. I'm sure my blood pressure will stay elevated for the next couple of hours. I'll be primed for flipping a road rage bird or two while stuck in rush hour traffic on the interstate while driving home. Bummer. I hate to lose these kind of games to these kind of teams. Arrgghh!!

[J. Weitzel]

The story of this game is the top of the order generating no offense at all, starting at the very top with Jimmy Rollins. Rollins has faced Livan Hernandez many, many times before, but it could have easily been the first time. The rally-killing DP was a tailing fastball AWAY and he still managed to jam himself.

This is why guess hitters like Rollins should ideally hit down near the bottom of the order somewhere. Yeah, he's going to connect for hits sometimes, get into a good flow sometimes, but as long as there's no approach to hitting, working counts, getting on base, he will never have the right tools to be a No. 1, other than speed. A good leadoff hitter should be able to gobble up at least 8-10 more pitches a game to help knock out pitchers earlier.

If you are going to be hard on David Bell for ending the game, then do the same to Pat Burrell, who grounded out the AB before.

To me, the story wasn't inning 9 anyway. It's innings 1-8 which saw the best run producers go hitless. Specifically, the rally-killing DP murdered them.

[yt]

Correct me if I'm wrong JW, but Pat advanced the runners to 2nd and 3rd on his ground out.

Bell popped out weakly with 2 outs and men on 2nd and 3rd in the bottom of the ninth.

I'm not an expert, but I do see a difference.