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Phillies fall short of postseason once again

The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres both won their games this afternoon, thus eliminating the Phillies from postseason for the 13th straight season. Beerleaguer will begin its season breakdown Monday, in the first of many posts until pitchers and catchers report Feb. 15. Tonight and tomorrow, I’m granting myself a small break, as inspiration to write escapes me. In the meantime, I want to extend my sincere thanks to everyone for contributing to Beerleaguer this season. It's been a remarkable, ground-breaking experience, in no small part to the energy and personality of my readers. I issue my warmest thanks for sharing this season with me, and for all your encouragement. ~ Jason

Backs to the wall, Phillies turn to Wolf

The Phillies need a sweep and help from either the Giants or Diamondbacks to keep their playoff hopes alive. Randy Wolf gets the ball in what could be his final start in a Phillies uniform.

Today’s game could get ugly, with tempers already flaring about Scott Olsen’s comments about the Phils, but nothing would be uglier than a Phillies loss and consequent playoff absence for the 13th time in as many years.

Two Philadelphia wins coupled with two losses by either the Dodgers or Padres would put the Phillies into a one-game playoff for the wild card. That’s the best they can hope for now following the Dodgers come-from-behind win at San Francisco.

Olsen (12-9, 3.97) is seeking revenge from Sunday’s beating, in which he allowed seven runs and three homers. The 22-year-old was ejected in the third for throwing at Abraham Nunez, and told the media before this series he "Hopes to ruin the Phillies season."

If it wasn't for Olsen's statements, all eyes would be on Phillies left-hander Randy Wolf (4-0, 5.24 ERA), who's shouldering his team's hopes for the post-season, and also pitching for a new contract. Wolf is not a good pitcher against Florida. Lifetime, the soon-to-be free-agent is 3-12 with a 6.08 ERA in 18 career starts against the Marlins.

Phillies begin final, fateful series with Florida

Now on the brink of elimination, the Phillies try to keep their postseason hopes alive when they open a three-game series tonight against the loathsome Marlins. A Phillies loss, coupled with a Dodgers win, means the Phils are fried.

Jamie Moyer (4-2, 4.27 ERA) is looking to win his third consecutive outing and pitched beautifully the last time he faced the Fish. The veteran left-hander allowed just one run and five hits in eight innings of a 3-2 victory on Sept. 8. Brian Moehler (7-10, 6.22), who lasted just 3 1-3 innings in Saturday’s game against the Phils, goes for the Marlins.

Florida pitcher Scott Olsen, who was tossed from his last start against the Phils for throwing at batters, made headlines this morning. Olsen told the Inquirer he wants to “Ruin the Phillies season.” Olsen goes tomorrow against Randy Wolf.

Phillies/Marlins Boxscore (live)
Dodgers/Giants Boxscore (live)
San Diego/Arizona Boxscore (live)

Philadelphia Phillies 2006 Version 1.1

Thoughts on the first of seven games that will define the Phillies' season.

It’s naive to believe baseball’s all-time longest rain delay didn’t take a physical and mental toll on the Phillies last night in D.C. The lethargic play from both squads, and 3-1 final outcome, certainly reflect the 12 p.m. start time and 5 hour delay, on top of the drain of yesterday’s emotional, nail-biting marathon. What kind of rhythm were you in last night at midnight? Ready to get a jump on taxes, I'm sure.

But fatigue isn’t the only excuse why the Phils find themselves on the brink of playoff elimination. The Phillies must sweep the Marlins, and the Giants must take two of three from the Dodgers to force a playoff. Two sweeps, and the Phils are in.

For all intents and purposes, the season should be over following a three-game sweep at the hands of the worst team in the division. We could point the finger at screwed calls, the MLB front office, Mother Nature, lack of timely hitting, poor strategy, and as the players would honestly attest, over-anxiousness and nerves as reasons that contributed to the collapse in D.C.

A 162 game season is a large sample, but sometimes a sweeping generalization can reveal the whole story. The Phillies are 83-76, a little better than average. That will get you close, but not close enough. This means you will lose to teams like the Nationals. And as it turns out, they will finish the season under .500 against them.

The Phillies thought they were doing themselves a favor by taking sole possession of the Wild Card lead. Record-wise, they were. By controlling their own destiny, they basically narrowed the season to seven games with Houston, Washington and Florida – a perfect opportunity to prove they are more than just "a little better than average."

Instead, they have lost three of the four games, and have framed off a nice abridged version of the season for fans to put under manageable scrutiny. And so we shall.

Brian Schneider delivered yesterday's only timely hit with a three-run single in the sixth. This kind of hitting represents the single biggest glitch of Version 1.1. The four-five-six hitters have combined for only four RBIs in the three losses, all coming from Ryan Howard, and in the 8-7 win, they knocked in nary a run. They’re stranding too many damn base-runners. Simple as that.

This cycle will inevitably lead to deflated and demoralized play. Was Jeff Conine thinking about his 0-for-7 collar from Wednesday when he went hitless on Thursday? It’s likely. Whenever one doubts toughness or moxie, you’re treading on thin ice. But the fact is, when the pressure was off this season, the Phillies turned it on. When goals were set, and "magic numbers" levied, they have fallen short, including their goal to win big at home during April.

Pressure might explain some of the residual glitches. Though Lieber and crew didn't walk anyone last night, Phillies pitching has allowed 16 free passes including Monday’s game. At least 10 of them came close and late in ballgames.

Starting pitching isn’t setting the world on fire, either. When Jon Lieber was signed before the 2005 season, it wasn’t to spot a poor lineup three runs over 5 1-3 innings in a game with serious playoff implications. The one-two punch of Brett Myers and Cole Hamels couldn’t deliver memorable September memories, either. The Astros figured out curve-happy Randy Wolf his second turn through the order. At least one of these guys should have come up bigger.

We talked about the "not ready for prime time" managing Tuesday, and some of those points were supported on the playing field, in particular, the way Ryan Howard has had his legs knocked out from under him. Teams have adjusted to Howard, but the Phillies have not readjusted themselves. There has been no attempt to think outside the box by Charlie Manuel, which is what managers must do in playoff-type games.

Now, the Phillies are off to Florida on short rest to play in what could accurately be described a playground pickup game for the Marlins. After a season of overachievement, the young Fish are officially out of the playoff hunt, thanks in no small part to the Phils. They weren’t expected to get even this close. They've got nothing to lose and will be dangerous.

You could say the same about the Phils and their own unexpected post-season run. Therein lies the rub. The bonus of October baseball could set the groundwork for a pickup game of their own.

Phillies face left-hander, Burrell back in lineup

Lefty alert: Jon Lieber takes the mound against left-hander Mike O’Connor and the Nationals tonight as the Phils try to keep pace with the surging Dodgers. Besieged slugger Pat Burrell returns to left field.

At post time, the Dodgers were leading the Rockies 18-11 in a Rocky Mountain shootout. The Phillies trail the suddenly surging Dodgers by a game in the National League Wild Card race. It may be time to pay closer attention to the Padres, who begin a four-game series with the Diamondbacks tonight in Arizona. If the Dodgers hold on in their game, and the Padres lose, they will be tied for the division lead in the NL West.

That means nothing unless the Phils win some games, and it wouldn’t hurt Phans if they made it easy for a change. This series was supposed to be a walk in the park. Instead, it's been a mine field.

Following yesterday’s thrilling, emotional, yet acidic win, the Phils will lean on Jon Lieber (9-10, 4.92 ERA), who’s looking for his fourth win in five starts, and also looking to reach .500 for the first time this season. The Nationals counter with left-hander Mike O'Connor (3-8, 5.04) who beat the Phils on June 8. Since then, it’s been downhill. He’s 0-5 with a 7.07 ERA in his last 11 games.

Charlie Manuel will stack the lineup with right-handers Jeff Conine and Pat Burrell behind Ryan Howard. Conine took a tough 0-for-7 collar last night, and Burrell struck out his only at bat.

After catching 14 innings of a five-hour game, Chris Coste is back behind the plate to receive for Lieber. Coster had a clutch night, going 3-for-6 with a walk.

In progress: Rockies jump on Dodgers early

Colorado’s Matt Holliday hit a three run homer off Brad Penny to put the Rockies on the board 3-0 in the first inning. The wild-card leading Dodgers are going for the series sweep against Colorado’s Byung-Hyun Kim. The Phillies trail the Dodgers by one game in the WC standings. Follow the live box score here.

Phew! Phils avoid all-time choke; keep pace with LA

The Phillies dodged potentially the worst breakdown since the 1993 World Series with a thrilling, improbable and truly mind-blowing extra-inning win in Washington. The Phils trail the Dodgers by one game with four to play. Los Angeles beat Colorado 6-4 tonight.

In the end, big hits, smart at bats and three good extra frames pitched by Rick White and Clay Condrey outnumbered the nightmarish meltdowns, but no moment was bigger than Jimmy Rollins’ two-out, two-run triple in the 14th to end the scoreless gridlock. The Phils squandered scoring chances all night long, stranding 15 before the night was over. The Phils finally shut down the Nats in the 14th with a hair-raising save by Fabio Castro to win 8-7.

A game ball also goes out to Chris Coste, who caught every inning of this game and went 3-for-6 with a big leadoff walk. Chase Utley homered early and knocked in two before turning the eventual game-saving, brilliantly played double play ball in the 14th. Abraham Nunez delivered two timely doubles and scored twice.

All of the above picked up the slack for Ryan Howard's "protection" Jeff Conine, who went 0-for-7 with nine men stranded batting from the five-hole. Howard drew three intentional walks and never crossed home plate.

The Phillies were in position to win it for Cole Hamels, who pitched six solid frames a lifetime ago. But in the 9th, Tom Gordon loaded the bases and walked in a run to tie the game 5-5. Flash would eventually get out of the inning. Had it not been for minor miracles in just about every inning that followed, Flash might have been charged with spearheading one of the all-time choke jobs in Philadelphia sports history.

Not ready for prime time players' manager

An accumulation of thoughts on Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, plus, tonight's pregame post.

For those waiting with baited breath for an updated post, my apologies. Long-time readers may have picked up on my mid-week trend of late afternoon posting. Wednesdays are busy production days. Typically, blogging is done in my home office, or in front of the television, or between the cracks of the workday. Other times, I’m watching the games and jotting down notes, or rapidly deleting comments from bored teenagers posting as exotic dancers.

So Wednesdays are days of quiet reflection, coming at a good time after yesterday’s loss. I had no intention of turning an egg into egg salad. Instead, I read a few e-mails and shot off a few of my own, a veritable who’s who of blame.

Tom Goodman thinks Brett Myers came up small. In the blogger/player world, Goodman and Myers are the Phillies odd couple. Long-time reader George S. believes the manager (pictured right) isn't ready for prime time. Erik Grissom has believed all along the bullpen will become the Phillies downfall.

FYI, I’m jumping on the Manuel pile. I’m no longer in his corner with the way he’s handled the bullpen, and according Howard Eskin of 610-WIP, neither is the front office.

His defenders say "They are short-handed." But with an expanded roster, and all these left-handers, it’s hard to understand how that’s possible. Here's my theory. When Arthur Rhodes finally blew out, Manuel compensated by distributing the load to his best pitchers, instead of working in the extra hands like left-hander Fabio Castro. This screwed them in two ways. Their best pitchers like Geoff Geary are being pushed to the limit every night, while Castro, who should have been used in many more of these 4-5 run games earlier in the season, isn't in any kind of groove. Considering Tom Gordon is this delicate egg who can only be used in the ninth inning of a save situation, they basically have four tattered all-purpose bullpen arms: Geary, Aaron Fultz, Rick White and Ryan Madson. Matt Smith, who’s been coming in during tough spots, has nearly identical major-league experience as Castro, Clay Condrey, Brian Sanches and Eude Brito.

Strict bullpen roles always seem to work better. Some people don’t like them, but I do. In the past, I gave Manuel full credit for this. He deserves only partial credit. Manuel relies entirely on a player's history to make his unwavering assignments. For instance, he used Rhodes as a setup man until his arm fell off, even though he was clearly unable to throw strikes. Yet Geary, who's earned every right to become a setup man, can't stick because he’s never done it before. If the Phillies fall short, it’s worth taking a hard look at how Rhodes was allowed to pitch those critical late-season games.

Manuel can only play the hand he’s dealt, but he can certainly make a better play. You've got to have hitters behind Ryan Howard who can make contact. This is pretty important. Teams are willing to spot the Phillies a walk, often pushing a runner into scoring position to do it. He needs to be protected by hitters who can put the ball in play. This isn't Pat Burrell's game, or David Dellucci's game, especially now that both are struggling.

For over a month, the opposition's approach to the Phillies has changed dramatically, yet the lineup has stayed constant. Because of this, Howard's power has been neutralized. Now, Chase Utley is hitting again. Jimmy Rollins has been hitting for two months. These are two very good options to protect Howard, but nothing has been done about it. The problem here isn't Burrell. It's Manuel failing to adjust around Howard.

There’s plenty to like about Charlie Manuel, and I've stuck my neck out on his behalf much more than anyone I've read. But there’s plenty to dislike, too. Unfortunately, the weaknesses are surfacing just as the Phillies took control of their own destiny. I'm afraid we're seeing the manager Philadelphia’s veteran writers and radio hosts have warned us about.

Tonight’s game - short and sweet
The Phillies send Cole Hamels (9-8, 4.06 ERA) to the hill against Pedro Astacio (5-5, 6.12 ERA). Hamels is 6-3 with a 2.42 ERA dating back to Aug. 3. Astacio is 0-1 with an 11.74 ERA in two starts against the Phils this season.

Phillies move on for three with Washington

The final leg of the 2006 season begins tonight against Ramon Ortiz and the Nationals. The Phillies are tied with the Dodgers for the NL Wild Card lead with six games to play, while the Nats will try to play spoiler.

On paper, the remaining schedule sets up nicely for the Phils. Last night at Citizens Bank Park, they ran out of home mojo in an uninspiring 5-4 loss to Houston. Hitting the road against the threadbare Nats might be just what the doctor ordered. The Phils are 41-34 away from the Bank.

They’re also just 8-8 against Washington this season, but the Nationals head home with major issues. First baseman Nick Johnson is out with a broken leg, plus, a train derailment delayed their arrival home following last night’s game in New York. According to the AP, their chartered Amtrak train derailed early Tuesday near Wilmington, Del. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the train arrived at 5 a.m.

The Phillies already have the edge in the pitching matchup, where Brett Myers (12-6, 3.94 ERA) faces Ramon Ortiz (10-15, 5.40 ERA). If Ortiz isn’t the worst starter in the National League, he’s a close second. The right-hander fell to 0-3 with an 8.27 ERA over his last three outings after surrendering five runs and eight hits over five innings in a 7-3 loss to Atlanta Wednesday. He’s allowing one home run per game, and about as many in vast RFK as anywhere else. The Phils have embarrassed Ortiz this season, including 8 runs over 1 1-3 innings back on Aug. 19. Meanwhile, Myers is coming off a complete game against the Cubs and has been lights-out this month.

After squandering an opportunity to move a full game ahead of the Dodgers last night, expect the Phils go on the attack early. If they can minimize Alfonso Soriano, and get at least seven from Myers, they should come away with the ‘W.’ If only on paper.

Astros 5, Phillies 4

Last night’s loss felt like an arbitrary encore, after your favorite band finished a perfect set by playing your favorite song.

This must have been the new, unheard material off the upcoming LP, including the critically panned "Bunt n' Steal." Chances are it won’t crack the Top 40. Maybe in Turkey, but not here.

After Sunday’s acclaimed fan-appreciation finale, this was the bonus track, a leftover from the Ernesto Sessions. They must have been experimenting with something more Avant-garde, something in the Captain Beefheart vein. What a buzzkill. It was difficult to walk out of Citizens Bank Park with a clear appreciation of the whole homestand. Shrill sounds were ringing in my ears. Red means go. Red means stop. Red means big Cholly trotting out of the dugout again. Red means anger.

The game felt like Wolf’s curveball looked after 75 pitches. Both pitchers breezed through the first innings. Wolf was popping his fastball for Ks. The Phils were a little impatient at the dish. Then Jimmy put us on top 4-2 with a two-run blast. After that, it grinded to a halt.

The game thread confirmed what we saw during the top of the seventh. Matt Smith was getting the squeeze. Neither Smith nor Rick White appeared on the same page as catcher Mike Lieberthal. The game became slow and tedious like those 30-minute jams from Phish. The Phils were burned for three runs that inning, all coming by way of the free pass. In all, they walked eight batters, probably the biggest reason they lost.

Sixteen pitchers took the mound. The Astros alone used 25 players to get the win. The Phillies used 20 and fell short. By the ninth, Clay Condrey, the Phillies equivalent to a roadie who will ocassionally assist on percussion, was pitching to Astros groupie Hector Gimenez, taking his first Major League at bat.

In a one-run game with playoff implications abounding, only Yoko Ono could have cooked up something so foul.

Phils conclude regular-season home schedule tonight

The Phillies can extend their NL Wild Card lead to a full game when they take on the rejuvenated Astros.

Trailing the Phillies by a full five games in the Wild Card, Houston (77-78) suddenly has their sights set on the Cardinals, who are spiraling out of control in the NL Central. The Astros are coming off a four-game sweep of the Cards with their 7-3 victory yesterday, and now trail the division-leaders by only 3.5 games.

The Phillies keep winning, but so to the Dodgers, who beat the Diamondbacks in the ninth inning yesterday. The Dodgers have Monday off before starting a three-game series at Colorado.

I’ve lost track of Randy Wolf’s unbeaten streak, but it’s a lot – something like 18 or 19 games. Wolf (4-0, 5.47 ERA) remained unbeaten with a 5 2-3 innings effort in a 6-4 win over the Astros on Sept. 17. The Astros counter with rookie right-hander Matt Albers (0-2, 6.00). Roger Clemens was originally slotted for today but was pushed forward to yesterday’s game with St. Louis.

Playoffs pending, resilient players deserve praise

I’d trade my entire inventory of postseason-less memories for a chance to see this group get there.

The players we’ll see tonight, trotting onto the field for the last regular-season home game, have marshalled every ounce of fortitude to make this postseason dream become a reality. Standing alone as the Wild Card leader, in control of their own destiny, deserves considerable respect, no matter where they stand seven games from now. This was a test of will, and they passed with flying colors.

Dear Phillies: We love everything about you. The roster couldn’t possibly contain more underdogs who’ve successfully beaten the odds to prove they belong. And if you’re not a Cinderella story, rookie or some other unlikely part of the supporting cast, chances are you fall into the category of superhero, humbled by success, undaunted under duress.

After the deadline trade of Bobby Abreu -- the Phillies best run producer over the last 10 years -- the challenged was issued. Who would step up? The answer: All of the above. No star shimmers quite like Ryan Howard, who leads the majors in home runs and RBIs, and is the front-runner for league MVP. Chase Utley piled on a 35-game hitting streak that ended just after the Abreu trade. Obviously drained by the experience, Utley is getting his second wind, and still running out dead-duck double-play balls. Jimmy Rollins has done his part to score runs and hit for extra bases, just as Abreu might have done. No disrespect to his 2005 hitting streak, but this is the best J-Roll we’ve ever seen.

Nobody asked the pitchers to keep grinding through every skipped turn in the rotation. Nobody made a peep when they were asked to endure every hack or head case who didn’t belong. Nobody wasted a second chance. Nobody relented when the bottom of the lineup card read Bell, Fasano, Lieber. Nobody caved when the probable starters read Bernero, Lidle, Fultz. Nobody hung their head, no matter how far under the Mendoza line their batting average plummeted, or how often their name was omitted from the lineup card. Nobody quit when a touch-and-go bullpen blew chance after chance. Nobody was too established to treat every game like their precious first, and nobody was too young to see the big picture. Nobody cashed out when the boss sold the farm.

As a long suffering fan, nobody deserves October baseball more than the players of the 2006 Phillies.

Phillies capture Wild Card lead; finish series today

Following the Dodgers' 9-3 loss to Arizona, the Phils have seized sole possession of the top spot in the National League Wild Card race with their 8-6 win over Florida. They go for the sweep this afternoon.

The season that was pronounced dead following the trade of Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle has officially been resurrected. The hopeless Phillies were 46-54 and well off-pace of the Wild Card leaders the day before their fire sale with New York. Since then, they’ve gone 35-19, the best mark in the National League. If the season ended today, they’d have their first post-season birth since 1993, only their second in 23 years.

The Phillies are playing amazing, inspired ball. They're scoring runs in bunches. Starting pitching has been phenomenal. Ryan Howard is the league's most valuable player. They’ve gone from pushover to legitimate powerhouse. They believe in themselves and their ability to win every single game. The Phils know they’re for real, and now they’re in the driver’s seat for the first time all season.

There’s a tough left-hander up ahead in Scott Olsen (12-8, 3.87 ERA), who stands in the way of a series sweep for Florida. The 22-year-old is 0-1 with a 2.78 ERA in his last three outings, with the loss coming to the Phillies on Sept. 8. The Phillies have been a little sluggish against lefties lately.

If the Phillies hold on, the late-season acquisition of today's pitcher Jamie Moyer (3-2, 3.79 ERA) could be considered a primary reason. The 43-year-old left-hander allowed one run, six hits and no walks in seven innings of a 4-1 victory over the Cubs on Tuesday. In addition to getting it done on the mound, Moyer has been an asset behind the scenes by helping young pitchers.

Jeff Conine was the second savvy veteran acquisition by Phillies GM Pat Gillick. Conine drove in three runs off the bench yesterday and is a .319 hitter with 16 RBIs this month.

In addition to Conine, backup catcher Carlos Ruiz drove in three runs. Jon Lieber pitched seven solid innings. Jimmy Rollins hit his 23rd homer, Shane Victorino and Chase Utley each went 4-for-5 and Ryan Howard drew two intentional walks.

With the victory, the 81-73 Phils have guaranteed at least a .500 season. Obviously, they're looking to finish a little better than that. They also climbed over .500 in games at home (40-39). Overall, they've won nine of 11.

Phillies remain half-game back; Lieber takes turn

Jon Lieber looks to rebound after Monday’s shelling, as the Phillies try to keep the playoff pressure on today at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies are learning the hard lessons of the playoff race. Last night featured everything you could ask: Great pitching, big hits, great hustle, and a playoff-type atmosphere. Yet, they are no closer to the prize this morning. The Dodgers and Padres both won.

Then again, they’re no further away. But it’s harder to get up for something like that, isn’t it? That’s the challenge they’ll face between now and Oct. 1 as the games get tighter and tighter.

Jon Lieber (8-10, 5.03 ERA) was rolling until Monday’s 11-6 loss to Chicago. Lieber booted the first ball put in play by Juan Pierre, and the game simply unraveled from there. He lasted just 2 1-3 innings, his shortest outing since injuring his groin on May 29.

Lieber has had problems with Florida. He is 2-2 with an 8.22 ERA in four starts against the Marlins this season. In two losses at home, he's given up 13 runs and 19 hits for a 10.03 ERA.

Brian Moehler (7-9, 6.09) looks for his first win since taking over for the injured Josh Johnson in the rotation.

Phillies win 5-2
Last night, a sellout crowd of 44,737 saw great performances by Cole Hamels, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, among others. Howard hit is league-leading 58th homer to tie Jimmie Foxx for the all-time Philadelphia record. Jeff Conine delivered a timely hit to drive in Utley in the sixth to make it 5-1. Utley went 3-for-4. Jimmy Rollins also went 2-for-5 and scored twice. Abraham Nunez supported Hamels with solid defense at the hot corner. Tom Gordon recorded his 33rd save and pitched a scoreless ninth.

Ten to go; underestimated Marlins up first

For the Phillies, the playoffs begin tonight against a tough and familiar September foe.

After a brief pause, the Phillies and their legion return to Citizens Bank Park after taking symbolic pause to digest the magnitude of the situation. The next break from baseball will either last until pitchers and catchers report in late February, or a day or two after the regular season to regroup for the post-season.

Impossibly, the Phillies find themselves in a virtual neck-and-neck tie for the right to become the very last survivor to jump aboard the playoff vessel. They held a share of the Wild Card lead for a day, but find themselves 0.5 back after last night’s West Coast action with 10 games remaining.

The Marlins shouldn’t be taken lightly. After the Phils, they’re next in line in the Wild Card pecking order and have been nipping at their heels since the All-Star break. They’re only chance at making it is to rout the Phils, who the play six more times. This is a dangerous series.

Ricky Nolasco (11-9, 4.56 ERA) starts tonight’s opener for Florida. His only start against the Phils came July 28, and he threw 7 1-3 scoreless innings in a 4-1 win.

The Phillies counter with emerging ace Cole Hamels (8-8, 4.21), who came within eight outs of a no-hiter in Saturday's 7-2 win at Houston. Hamels is 1-1 with a 3.67 ERA in two starts against the Marlins.

Victorino hurting
If Shane Victorino’s wrist is healthy enough to play, his offensive stats don’t show it. Victorino was 5-for-38 entering Wednesday's game, dropping his average 18 points to .279. The alternatives would be Michael Bourn or Chris Roberson manning center field. Manager Charlie Manuel told MLB.com that he’s concerned.

"I talk to him a lot about it," he said. "He's fine, but it’s bothering him. I want to know how bad it is, then I'll determine whether he's in there. I want him playing. We have a short number of games and I want him playing."

This and that
-- Joe Thurston has not taken an at bat since Sept. 4’s failed bunt attempt.

-- The Phillies may have a mediocre record at home, but it’s largely because of their dismal showing in their home-loaded start to their season. The Phillies are 38-39 at home, but 16-10 in their last 26 home games.

Dodgers, Padres win; Chronicle reporters sentenced

The Phillies wake up 0.5 games back in the Wild Card race, and the rest of this morning’s headlines.

-- Olmedo Saenz hit a two-run homer and former Phillie Marlon Anderson drove in a run with a suicide bunt, as Los Angeles avoided a sweep by beating the Pirates 5-2 Thursday night. The Dodgers host Arizona tonight.

-- In San Diego, Trevor Hoffman is one save away from tying Lee Smith’s all-time record, as the Padres held on to beat the Diamondbacks 3-1. The Padres hold a half-game lead over the Dodgers and host Pittsburgh.

-- San Francisco Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams were sentenced Thursday for a maximum of 18 months, pending an appeal, for refusing to testify about who leaked secret grand jury testimony from Barry Bonds and other elite athletes. Fainaru-Wada and Williams are the authors of "Game of Shadows," which exposed alleged steroid use by Bonds, Jason Giambi and a host of Olympic athletes.

-- The Phillies have released tentative information on their 2007 schedule. According to their official Web site, the White Sox, Tigers and Blue Jays will come to town as part of interleague play. They will also open the season April 2 at home against Atlanta.

-- The Phillies have also made a change to their rotation. This weekend, they're going with Cole Hamels, Jon Lieber and Jamie Moyer. Randy Wolf has been pushed back to Monday's game against the Astros.

All tied after Brett Myers’ clutch performance

Brett Myers waited until the sixth month of his fifth season to morph into the ace pitcher many believe he can become. The 26-year-old right-hander went the distance and tied a career-high with 12 strikeouts in a decisive 6-2 victory over the Cubs.

Meanwhile, add the Diamondbacks to the list of teams receiving fruit baskets compliments of the Phillies. The D-Backs defeated San Diego, while the Pirates (fruit basket en route) battered the Dodgers for the second straight night. The Phils are now tied atop the National League Wild Card heap with Los Angeles with 10 games left to play.

Thus, the old driftwood has returned. "It’s a long season." Indeed, this one has felt like eternity. What the hell is this driftwood made from anyhow?

Only a few chapters ago, the starting pitching was in shambles. Aside from Myers, Cory Lidle's standard six innings, three runs felt pretty cozy back then. Now, some are calling this the most complete rotation in the National League playoff race.

Just days after Cole Hamels came within eight outs of a no-hitter, and the night after 43-year-old Jamie Moyer tossed his second one-run game in three tries, Myers bulldozed the Cubs over nine innings. Three different styles, three sterling results.

To the naked eye, the ex-boxer leveled his target with three right-hand looks: hard, harder and hardest. But there was more to it. The post-fight press conference came from the man behind the plate. Mike Lieberthal told the Inquirer that Myers added a splitter to his growing repertoire. This is like casually slipping the Gatling gun into 19th Century warfare. This is a pitch Myers only starting tinkering with two weeks ago in the bullpen. It’s a frightening reminder how young Myers is. At 26, he’s their best pure power pitcher, learning even more fastball variations to compliment an organization-best curveball. Now on a lark, he’s working on yet another out pitch, and get this, already getting outs with it. This is like discovering Mt. Everest out behind the Catskills.

Myers and Hamels represent perhaps the best September one-two punch in the NL, an amazing feat all things considered. Hamels is a buck rookie who still doesn’t have the starts necessary to qualify for statistical recognition. The other is still tinkering with two pitches, a splitter and a more established changeup. This month, Myers is 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. Hamels is 1-1 with a 2.75 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. They have combined to strike out 53 batters in seven games.

These are the types of performances the Phillies will need in October. I can’t believe I just wrote that.

Phillies face journeyman Walrond in series finale

29-year-old left-hander Les Walrond, making only his second Major League start, will get the ball for the last-place Cubs tonight. With Brett Myers going for the Phils, it should mean only one thing.

But will it? It never seems to. If the Phillies fancy themselves a serious playoff contender, tonight would be an excellent time to show it. The Cubs (62-90) send 29-year-old Les Walrond (0-0, 7.59) to the hill to make only his second career start. Walrond is a castoff of the Kansas City Royals, and has a name that's more pharmacist than starting pitcher. Wallgreens was punched up for six runs -- five earned -- and seven hits in 2 2-3 innings during a 10-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals back on Aug. 27.

Some would call Brett Myers an ace. I wouldn’t, but some would. Myers (11-6, 4.04 ERA) is having a good month after an up-and-down August, posting a 6.62 ERA. He has bounced back with a 2.57 September ERA.

Pat Burrell will try to put the ball in play tonight, as will Jeff Conine and Mike Lieberthal, in Charlie Manuel's righty-stacked lineup.

Beerleaguer overrated/underrated community thread

Starting with Jimmy Rollins as my choice for Mr. Underrated 2006, Beerleaguer invites readers to weigh in on their picks for underrated / overrated aspects of Phillies baseball.

Last night, Jimmy Rollins hit his 22nd home run, extending a club record for most home runs by a shortstop in one season. With all the press surrounding Ryan Howard’s own home run tear, you hardly hear anything about it.

The quality of a player’s season is directly linked to the length of their season bio in the Phillies' official press notes. Howard leads all players with 19 notations, but he’s not alone. He’s tied with one other player. Guess who?

Somehow, Jimmy’s name is left off the arbitrary "Big Three" of Hamels-Utley-Howard when discussing the Phillies' future. His durability is easy to take for granted, as is his defense, speed and surprising power. Come to think of it, there isn’t a single part of J-Roll's game getting just due. Among NL shortstops, he ranks first in XBH (69) and stolen base percentage (90.0). He’s tied for first in doubles (40), second in homers (22), RBI (73), runs (115) and total bases (294). He’s third in hits (174). He’s fourth in fielding percentage (.987 – 8 E in 625 TC).

Forgive me for cutting and pasting this information from the press notes. It’s great stuff. He led all major league players in August in hits (45) and runs (30). He’s the first Phillie to score 30 runs in a month since July 1993 (Lenny Dykstra). He is just the third Phillie since 1900 to score 100 runs in 3 straight years, joining Hall of Famer Chuck Klein (1929-33) and Bobby Abreu (1999-2002).

Before the season, I called Jimmy the most important piston in the Phillies' offense. This was correct. The Phillies are 56-28 (.667) when he scores at least one run, including 16-1 (.941) in their last 17 games.

Other underrated stuff
-- Abraham Nunez's speed and base-running out of the eight-hole. Here’s a great statistic posted by reader ae last night. "Nunez has been putting up much better numbers the last few months - hitting .250 with a .345 OBP (seriously - 21 walks for just over 150 AB) in August and September. Still virtually no XBH (6), but he's been able to score 25 runs - in other words, he scores almost half the time he reaches base, same as Rollins."

Speed was one of the core issues of last year’s lumbering Black Hole of David Bell and Mike Lieberthal. With Bell’s tendency to ground into double plays, and Lieberthal’s ongoing trouble connecting with runners on base, there was plenty of dysfunction, aside from just the standard OPS statistic. Nunez is a horrid hitter, but his speed down near the bottom actually makes him a better fit than Bell in this lineup.

-- Bonus underrated: The idea of Cole Hamels as a future Gold Glove pitcher.

Overrated: Shane Victorino’s offensive prowess
I like Shane Victorino quite a bit, and I’m just as guilty as anyone for getting wrapped up in the energy and excitement he brings to each game. But let’s face it – he’s getting more props than he rightfully deserves since being installed as the No. 2 hitter.

He’s a great fielder with a laser beam for an arm, but he’s a below-average offensive outfielder. He’s a wild swinger who would certainly strike out well over 100 times with a full season of exposure. His 27 extra-base hits isn’t special, and for some reason, he doesn’t know how to steal bags.

Victorino is a very fine defensive asset to the team, and doing an outstanding job replacing Aaron Rowand, but his status as a future fixture near the top of the lineup is still very much in question.

-- Bonus overrated: Ryan Madson as anything other than a long man.

Local products share pitching spotlight tonight

Phillies left-hander Jamie Moyer, a native of Sellersville, Bucks County, and Cubs right-hander Wade Miller, a native of Topton, Berks County, square off at Citizens Bank Park tonight.

I’ve followed the career of fellow Brandywine Heights High School grad Wade Miller with great interest since he was drafted by Houston in the 1996 draft. Once on the fast-track to a great career with Astros, part of a dynamic one-two punch with fellow right-hander Roy Oswalt, his career has been sadly derailed by serious shoulder problems. Tonight, he's taking another step toward recovery.

Before a frayed rotator cuff ended his season in 2004, Miller was considered one of the up-and-coming right-handers in the National League. His best seasons were 2001 and 2002 with the Astros, when he went 16-8 with a 3.40 ERA in '01 and 15-4 with a 3.28 ERA in '02. In 2003, he pitched through a pinched nerve and went 14-13 with a 4.13 ERA. Doctors believe the pain is what led to the frayed cuff, causing him to change an already unorthodox delivery. After the 2004 season, he was non-tendered by the Astros.

The 30-year-old right-hander spent much of the 2005 season on the disabled list because of problems with his shoulder and was non-tendered for the second time in two years by the Red Sox in December. He signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Cubs before this season, including $3 million in performance bonuses based on innings and roster time.

The road back has been rocky. This is only his third start after missing most of the season recovering from shoulder surgery, and is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA. Lifetime against the Phillies, Miller is 0-3 with a 4.22 ERA in six career appearances. He has not pitched here since 2003.

The Phillies will counter with Jamie Moyer, who's 2-2 with a 4.35 ERA since coming over from Seattle. It would be wise for Moyer to avoid red-hot third-baseman Aramis Ramirez. A-Ram homered twice and had a career-high seven RBIs for the Cubs yesterday. The Cubs are looking for their fourth-consecutive victory.

Following last night's wild finish in Los Angeles, the Phillies now trail San Diego by 1.5 games in the National League Wild Card race.

My uninspired post about last night's loss

Talk about your classic example of momentum swinging only as far as the next day's starting pitcher.

Last night's disappointing loss cannot be overstated for a team trailing the Wild Card with 12 games left to play. It was bad, and it was bitter.

Any talk of carrying the Houston flame back home was snuffed before the Phillies could light an offensive fire. The Phils were burned in two areas they've evaded over the past month. First, starting pitched was scorched early. Second, they committed costly errors. Right off the gun, one man, Jon Lieber, was responsible for both.

Starting pitching hasn’t received nearly enough credit for keeping their Wild Card hopes alive, maybe somewhere else, but not on Beerleaguer. In the Phillies’ last 18 games, the starting pitchers have posted a righteous 3.38 ERA (41 ER, 109.1 IP) and pitched at least 7.0 innings in nine of the 18 games.

Defensively, the gloves also cost them. Like pitching, utter failure has been a rarity lately. The Phillies currently rank 6th in the NL with a .984 fielding percentage. However, since Aug. 1, the Phils have the best fielding percentage in the NL at .989 and have made only 19 errors since Aug 1. They had two official errors yesterday.

Last night felt like April: This was a bad breakdown against a weaker opponent, shades of the early season games with Florida and Pittsburgh. They got behind 5-0 early, and answered with impatient at bats. It took far too long to catch up with rookie Sean Marshall, who was very hittable. Then when they finally made it a game, the bullpen couldn’t hold it.

The next two games represent 1/6 of the final dozen, two chances to capitalize on the worst team in the National League. These are precious opportunities that cannot be wasted.

Utley
Abraham Nunez may be the ugliest flailing hitter among the regulars, but Chase Utley’s hacks haven’t been much better lately. Utley has one extra-base hit in his last eight games. He’s still managing about one hit per game, but his on-base percentage has dipped below .370 for the first time since July 1. Most of his solid contact is jerked way foul; and a lot of the stuff put in play is weakly topped. It can be safely assumed Utley has entered a late-season cooling pattern.

Phillies roll home for three-game set with Cubs

After a 7-3 road trip, the home-weary Phillies, who are just 36-38 at Citizens Bank Park, look to take care of business against the last-place Cubs.

It may be a good thing the Phillies finish the season on the road at Washington and Florida. They have not played well at home, but have a seemingly easy test ahead of them this series against some less-than-stellar pitching (and I hate to say that because tomorrow's starter, Wade Miller, went to my high school).

The Phils send Jon Lieber (8-9, 4.87 ERA) to the mound to face his old employers. Lieber is 2-0 with a 3.48 ERA in three starts this month and 21-12 with a 3.88 ERA in September over his career. Those are his best numbers of any month. He’s pitched the Cubbies well lately, going 3-0 with a 2.11 ERA in his last three starts against them. Chicago was the site of his 20-win season back in 2001.

Rookie left-hander Sean Marshall (5-9, 5.34) goes for the Cubs. The Phillies are hitting just .254 against lefties this season, but Marshall has struggled of late. He’s 0-2 with a 7.54 ERA over his last five starts.

One player who enjoys home cooking is last night’s hero Mike Lieberthal, who’s hitting .366 with 5 homers and a 1.018 OPS at home. He’s out of tonight’s lineup, however, as Chris Coste gets the start. Lieberthal hit two homers in yesterday’s 6-4 win over Houston.

The Phillies are coming off a superb three-game sweep of the Astros and have climbed to within one game of the NL Wild Card. The Dodgers fell out of the NL West lead following yesterday's loss to San Diego.

Best of the press notes: Great gloves lately
The Phillies currently rank 6th in the NL with a .984 fielding percentage. However, since Aug. 1, the Phillies have the best fielding percentage in the NL at .989. They have made only 19 errors since Aug. 1, which the fewest in the league.

Not so bad against lefties after all
This one is surprising. As a team, the Phillies are 20-19 (.513) when a left-hander starts against them this year and 20-15 (.571) in their last 35 games against a lefty.

A long, strange trip for the Phightin' Phillies

At 77-72, and within striking distance of a Wild Card birth, the Phillies have guaranteed another full season of meaningful baseball.

This season might have all the luster of a pre-owned van with the occasional hiccup, but after an August tune-up, the Phillies may arrive at their final destination in one piece after all.

Excess cargo was jettisoned on K-61 exactly halfway through the country, and luxury items were soon pawned for a couple gallons of lower octane fuel. As it turns out, it was just fine for the thin Houston air. Now, they begin their final plunge along the last leg of the journey. All gauges clear; no signs of overheating. Will the old girl hold, or will her occupants succumb to hunger first? All that remains are bags of sunflower seeds scattered on the backseat floor.

The Phillies odyessy is ending, and oh what an emotional rush it’s been! From the ugly scene along a Boston street on June 23, to the heavy beauty of an orbiting baseball cascading back to earth for the 57th time this season.

The traffic jam known as the National League Wild Card race is starting to clear, and the Phillies have pulled closer toward the lead. It appears they’ve picked the correct lane, too, avoiding one of the league’s mightiest roadblocks in Carlos Zambrano. Hopefully, they don't catch a flat.

It’s time for the passengers to round up their pennies and go in for a cup of java for the driver. Charlie Manuel fell asleep at the wheel back on I-95 between Atlanta and Miami. It was the second near miss in a week. Shotgun passenger Rich Dubee had the map turned upside-down in D.C.

With all the twists and turns, they averted a disastrous breakdown in Fargo, North Dakota, where they picked up a useful piston in Chris Coste. Rick White was hitchhiking just outside Cincinnati when they offered him a lift. His bindle appeared stuffed with snacks, so Randy Wolf told him to get in, in that California laze of his. Then it was off to Seattle to save Jamie Moyer from certain post-season doom. Then, back across-country to offer Jeff Conine the same sanctuary. Nobody knows where Randall Simon came from. He just appeared.

Some of the kids are getting antsy for the ride to end. Chase Utley’s MP3 player ran out of juice all the way back in New York. No surprise; he's been blasting Led Zeppelin non-stop since March during the World Baseball Classic. Mike Lieberthal is complaining that his legs are falling asleep, and Pat Burrell is hearing noises in his head. Rick White keeps pestering Ryan Howard, and no one can understand why. Aaron Fultz and Geoff Geary have tired arms from holding the starting rotation's baggage for many months. And everyone can’t wait for Jimmy Rollins to stop talking.

Soon, the road will fork into separate paths, the exit home, or the expressway to Wally World. This second destination wasn’t originally listed on the itinerary, but the passengers are gathering their second wind in anticipation. One look at Shane Victorino says it all; he's already strapping on his snorkel and fins.

Wolf, Phillies finish off road trip in Houston

The Phillies go for their first series sweep since Aug. 3, and look to finish 7-3 on their 10-game road trip, when they face the Astros this afternoon.

Let's be honest. I don't like today’s game. Road sweeps are tough business, plus, the Phillies are finishing off a 10-game road trip. The way they’ve played before homecomings, in games that would appear to be in their favor, hasn’t instilled much confidence. I can cite two games at RFK, including a crushing 6-5 loss to the lowly Nationals on Aug. 31. Plus, I never like teams coming off big, emotional performances, like Cole's near no-no.

I don’t like the pitching matchup, either. I don’t possess a lengthy scouting report on Wandy Rodriguez (9-9, 5.43 ERA), but he’s a left-hander, and the Phillies are really battling against them. He’ll give up walks (59 in 129.1 IP), so a patient approach might be key to getting to him early. He’s pitching in place of Andy Pettitte, who was scratched with a strained flexor muscle.

I don’t expect Randy Wolf (3-0, 5.56 ERA) to come up as small as he did Wednesday, but I’m not expecting a repeat of what Cole Hamels did yesterday. Wolf hasn’t been locating much of anything (26 BB in 43.2 IP), and is falling back on his breaking pitch far too often.

The Phillies remained 1.5 games behind the wild card-leading Padres, who beat the Dodgers 11-2 Saturday, but they opened up a two-game advantage over San Francisco and Florida. The Phils have 14 more games, including this one.

After several innings of stalemate, David Dellucci broke open the scoring with his 13th homer of the season. Looch had been in a serious funk, hitting .158 (9-for-57) in his previous 24 games. After that, the Phillies slowly put the game out of reach.

Arbuckle says it's time for Floyd to step up
The Phillies are making it clear: No more coddling Gavin Floyd

An article by Courier Times scribe Randy Miller has the latest on the ongoing Floyd saga. The former No. 1 pick was passed over as a September call-up after another inconsistent season in the minor leagues. He will prepare for a stint in the Arizona Fall League instead.

Miller interviewed Phillies assistant GM Mike Arbuckle, the official with the closest connection to Floyd. He’s what it said:

Floyd's problems remain the same. He can't repeat his delivery for long stretches, thus he loses fastball velocity and break on his curve, and he gets flustered when things go wrong, thus labeling him a softie.

The Phils have refined his delivery again and again. They talk to him about getting meaner on the mound. At this point, they feel they can't do much more than wait and see if Floyd decides to embrace the changes he needs to make.

“We can talk all we want, but he knows what he needs to do,” Arbuckle said. “We tried a lot of different things, but there comes a point for any player where they have to do it for themselves.

“Gavin's stuff is good enough to be in an upper-part of a big-league rotation and it's very difficult to give up on him,” Arbuckle said. “Even if we wanted to trade him, right now, you'd get pennies on the dollar.

“Gavin can be a quality big-league pitcher because of his stuff, but it's about time for him to step up and start doing it, quite frankly.”

Promising young hurlers take stage in Game 2

The Phillies look for their sixth win of this 10-game road trip when Cole Hamels meets Jason Hirsh in a matchup of rookie pitchers.

Pat Burrell provided all the runs the Phillies needed last night with a first-inning grand slam off Roger Clemens. For Burrell, it was his fifth career grand slam, working the count full and attacking Rocket’s middle-in belt-high pitch, after Clemens walked the previous three batters. Burrell was 0-for-his-last-22 against Houston until going deep.

Brett Myers (11-6) allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings to win for the third time in five starts.

The Phillies overcame a mistake-filled 9th to hold on to a 4-3 win. Tom Gordon earned his 30th save, but got no help from his defense. Ryan Howard and Jeff Conine both committed errors, but only Conine was charged for his drop.

Burrell’s blast echoed loudly in regards to the Wild Card standings, where the Phils now trail the Pads by just 1.5 games following San Diego’s loss to Los Angeles. San Francisco also lost and fell to 2.5 back.

Pat the Bat is back on the field this afternoon and will hit fifth, as the Phils look to build on their 5-3 road trip. Cole Hamels (7-8, 4.34 ERA) is 5-3 with a 2.72 ERA in his last nine starts for Philadelphia, but is just 3-5 with a 4.37 ERA in 11 road starts this season. He’s facing the Astros for the second time, after tossing an impressive game against his childhood idol, Clemens, back on Sept. 4. This time, the Astros counter with right-hander Jason Hirsh (3-3, 6.10), who has never faced the Phils. The Astros have high hopes for the 24-year-old right-hander, who pitched well in his previous three outings.

Before the game, the Phillies received word they will get a break tomorrow. Andy Pettitte has been scratched and will not pitch tomorrow’s game.

After going on a home run tear last week, Ryan Howard is looking for his first homer since Sept. 8. He leads the league with 56, and there’s a growing misconception that he’s slumping. He’s not. He’s been on base 18 of his last 29 plate appearances.

Lakewood crowned South Atlantic League champions
The Lakewood BlueClaws (Class-A, Phillies) won their first South Atlantic League championship in team history, blanking the Augusta GreenJackets 5-0 last night. BlueClaws pitcher Matt Maloney recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts in a complete-game shutout.

Rocket, Lieberthal return to action tonight

Roger Clemens and Brett Myers take stage as the Astros and Phillies begin a weekend series. Clemens takes the mound after missing a start with a groin injury, while catcher Mike Lieberthal returns after missing time with back spasms.

Clemens (6-4, 2.27 ERA) was forced to leave his start with the Phils back on Sept. 4. Before that, he hadn’t missed a beat since rejoining the Astros midway through the season.

Brett Myers (10-6, 4.05) is looking to bounce back after a mediocre start at Florida. Myers allowed two earned runs and nine hits over six innings.

The Phils will try to stop Lance Berkman, who burned the Phillies badly last time they met and is single-handedly carrying the Astros offense on his back. Berkman in coming off a 3-for-4 effort with a home run in a 5-1 win over St. Louis.

For the Phils, Mike Lieberthal returns and gets the start behind the plate tonight.

'Claws try to grab Sally League championship

Lakewood sends SAL Pitcher of the Year Matt Maloney to the mound tonight, as the Phillies Class-A BlueClaws look to win their first South Atlantic League Championship.

Maloney (16-8, 2.03 ERA during regular season) struck out a season-high 11 over seven innings Friday when the BlueClaws beat the Lexington Legends 8-2 to sweep the SAL Northern Division finals and advance to the championship.

Lakewood leads the best of five series 2-1. They had a chance at the sweep last night, but fell to the GreenJackets 11-1.

The Class-A Blueclaws finished with a league-best 84-55 record, paced by outstanding pitching, including a league-best 3.10 team ERA. Starters Maloney, Josh Outman and Carlos Carrasco were first, second and third, respectively, in the South Atlantic League in strikeouts while placing in the top six in wins and ERA. Carrasco won the 2006 Paul Owens Award for best minor league pitcher in the Phillies farm system. Outfielder Michael Bourn, currently with the Phils, won it for the position players.

Scoreboard watching; Padres-Dodgers begin series

The Phillies were "Chuck James-ed" last night. That’s the new verb for confusing the Phillies lineup with a cunning left-hander.

Tonight’s series has a "Chuck Jamesy" feel to it, a new adjective to describe the sinking sensation of pending futility and frustration, popularized by Atlanta left-hander Chuck James.

One look at Houston’s star, pictured next to the upcoming schedule on Yahoo's Phillies page, foretells a weekend of heartache and pain. On Sept. 4, the Phillies managed their first win against Houston in over two years, a span that saw crushing defeat after crushing defeat.

To summarize what Jon said in the previous thread, if the Phillies are to take this series and keep their October hopes alive, they need a break. Brett Myers challenges Roger Clemens tonight in his home park. The odds favor Houston, but Myers is certainly capable of matching him against a weak Astros offense. Philadelphia should have the edge tomorrow, with Cole Hamels facing Jason Hirsh in a showcase of top pitching prospects. However, Hirsh has been quite solid in his last three games, allowing only four earned runs in his last 19 innings.

The break Jon was referring to could come in Sunday’s matchup against Andy Pettitte. From Yahoo: Pettitte had a cortisone injection in his elbow on Wednesday, a day after leaving his start against St. Louis in the third inning with a strained muscle in his left elbow. The Houston left-hander also underwent an MRI exam, which revealed tendinitis in the elbow. Pettitte is scheduled to pitch Sunday against the Phillies. "We're hopeful that he'll make his next start this weekend," Astros general manager Tim Purpura said. "But we're going to take it day by day."

Meanwhile, the Dodgers and Padres will begin the biggest NL series of the season tonight in Los Angeles, and it’s a classic matchup of veterans: David Wells and Greg Maddux. The Dodgers are clinging to a slim half-game lead in the NL West, while the Padres are holding onto the top spot in the Wild Card by 2.5 games over the Phillies and Giants. The Dodgers have lost six in a row to the Padres at home, but have won 16 of their last 19 games at Chavez Ravine. Both teams have favorable upcoming home series against the Pirates and Arizona. The Dodgers will finish the season with six road games, three at Colorado and three potentially big games at San Francisco. The Padres also finish on the road, with three games against the Cardinals, who may have nothing to play for at that point, and four against the sub-.500 Diamondbacks.

Padres win; Phillies aim for series sweep

San Diego won’t go away. They beat the sinking Reds 4-2 this afternoon. The Phillies will try to keep pace tonight when they send Jamie Moyer to the hill.

Clay Hensley struck out a career-high seven batters and earned the win in the latest impressive gem from the National League’s best pitching staff. After today, their ERA will dip below 3.95 on the season. Only two Phillies regulars – Geoff Geary and Tom Gordon – have ERAs under that number. San Diego is also winning with defense, ranked first in baseball according to Baseball Prospectus’ defense efficiency ratio. The Phillies are ranked 25th.

So there you have it. The tendency is to look at San Diego’s lineup and say "meh," but the fact is, pitching and defense make them a scary threat to come out of the National League. As for postseason offense, all any team needs are timely hits. If the pitching is there, and the defense is there, you have a shot.

The Phillies now find themselves two full games back in the Wild Card race, doing themselves a huge favor by sweeping last night’s double-header. The Phils bounced back from deficits in both games, thanks to good starting pitching from Jon Lieber and an incredible effort from the bullpen.

Tonight, they go with Jamie Moyer (2-1, 3.95 ERA), whose acquisition has helped Philadelphia stay alive in the playoff race. The Braves counter with rookie Chuck James (9-3, 3.57 ERA), who was a pest the last time these teams met. James is 5-0 with a 1.96 ERA over his last seven starts.

Best of the press notes
-- Lifetime against Atlanta, Ryan Howard is hitting .418 (41-98), 10 HR, 26 RBI. Yet the Braves still pitch to him. On the flipside, David Dellucci stinks against Atlanta, hitting .167 (13-78), 6 RBI career, and at Turner Field, .087 (2-23) with 1 RBI. He started both games and went 1-for-8. Meanwhile, Pat Burrell has been very good lately at Turner Field, going 9 for his last 29 with two homers.

Beer nuts: Unlikely heroes stepping up

Plenty to talk about following last night’s twin killing. Let’s get to it.

The closest thing to a morning edition in the Phillies’ blogosphere is Tom Goodman’s Swing and a Miss, which has an excellent, detailed summary of last night’s double-header.

Goodman praises Pat Gillick for the addition of Jeff Conine, who "never appears to get too high or low and always plays under controlled intensity ... At 40 years of age the fire still burns within."

Goodman also points out that the entire outfield has changed since opening day, or most of the season for that matter. That includes the addition of Shane Victorino, who has earned the right to keep a starting job, in center or in a corner.

--- Victorino isn’t the only player making a name for himself as a possible part of the Phillies’ future. Since his latest call-up, catcher Carlos Ruiz is starting to look more comfortable at the plate and behind it, working with fickle starter Jon Lieber last night.

Offensively, Chooch is hitting the ball hard and finished 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs. He’s accomplished all he can in the minors, and at this stage, is likely to stick, either in Philadelphia or elsewhere in the Majors. Officials from around baseball have inquired about his availability. From a Sept. 1 article in the Daily News:

" '... Ruiz, 27, has a strong arm, pretty good catching skills and a .304 batting average with 25 homers and 109 RBI in two full seasons at Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Phillies seem uninterested in trading Ruiz, since he and 33-year-old rookie Chris Coste might be their best options for next season.

" 'Unless we do something to get a top-of-the-line guy, which is doubtful," said assistant general manager Mike Arbuckle.

" Veteran Mike Lieberthal, 34, is fighting through his third injury of the season, a nagging back issue suffered Aug. 9 that cost him three games last weekend. He already has missed 9 weeks with knee and hip injuries, and he is a free agent after the season.

"Which means that Ruiz is the starter next season, right?

" 'I think he’s a contending candidate," Arbuckle said. "I don’t think it’s an absolute lock.' "

I’m not the only one who noticed Ruiz’s demeanor with the pitchers last night, particularly in the ninth inning working with Ryan Madson. "I even like how he goes out to the mound and puts his hands on the pitcher," Goodman commented this morning. "He wants them to trust him."

--- Name the best National League middle reliever, according to Hardball Times Win Shares. That's right, it's Geoff Geary, who earns Beerleaguer's vote for unsung Phillies hero of the 2006 season.

Geary's nine Win Shares place him ahead of several higher-profile middle relievers who were bantered around as possible Phillies acquisitions in the offseason, including Bradon Looper, Dan Wheeler, Chad Qualls, Bob Howry, Soloman Torres and Duaner Sanchez, who's out with injury. Overall, he trails only Takashi Saito, Billy Wagner and Trevor Hoffman, all closers.

Since Aug. 8, Geary, the team leader in vuture wins with 7, has surrendered just one run and no homers since Aug. 7. On the season, he's 7-1 with a 2.95 ERA and trails only Torres of Pittsburgh with 82 2-3 relief innings. Geary has been a true horse.

Pen drops anchor in 6-5 comeback; Game 2 next

Eude Brito, Rick White, Aaron Fultz and Flash Gordon threw seven no-hit, no-run innings of relief, as the Phillies clawed back from a 0-5 deficit to beat the Braves 6-5.

Terrific win, but no time to admire their handiwork. Game 2 begins shortly. Tremendous job by the bullpen to pick up the pieces after two disappointing innings from starter Randy Wolf.

Jeff Conine delivered the big blow to get the Phils back in it, a two-out double to deep left that knocked in two to pull the score to 5-3. Jimmy Rollins went 3-for-5 and scored twice.

Brito pitched four solid innings to keep the Phillies in it. Rick White (4-1) earned the win for his 1 2-3 innings. Gordon had his breaking ball working and picked up his 29th save.

Jon Lieber (7-9, 4.99) gets the call for the Phillies in the second game. Lieber is 3-0 with a 3.21 ERA and a complete game in his last six starts. Atlanta will counter with Tim Hudson (12-10, 4.85), who, like Lieber, has also turned it around of late. In his last seven starts, he is 4-0 with a 3.66 ERA.

Chance of showers 80 percent for Phils twinbill

If the weather holds, Randy Wolf will lead the troops back into action in Game 1 of the Phillies double-dip with the Braves.

The prospect of yet another rainout would add even more adversity to a team already up to their eyeballs in it.

This isn't a good situation. This is the third scheduled doubleheader between these teams in the last 11 days. Just when they need their best arms lined up in a nice, neat row to finish off their September sprint, more precipitation could force plan B. In addition, double-headers have been difficult for the Phils to sweep, and they simply can’t afford to lose many more.

The Phillies are two games behind San Diego in the Wild Card race. Meanwhile, a new threat has emerged. San Francisco has caught fire and leapfrogged the Phillies with their 10-6 win over Colorado.

All eyes are on Randy Wolf (3-0, 4.97 ERA), pitching his ninth game since returning from Tommy John surgery. Wolf gave up two runs in six innings in a loss to Houston last Wednesday. The left-hander is fast approaching a career crossroad, as his contract expires after the season.

For Atlanta, Kyle Davies (2-5, 7.56 ERA) pitches for a Braves team that has all but fallen out of the race. The 23-year-old right-hander is considered a bright part of the Braves future, but has taken a thrashing this season, including a 2 1-3, seven-run pounding from the Phils last week.

In other news ... former Phillies outfielder Bobby Abreu had a career night in New York, tying an AL record for most RBIs in an inning with six in the Yankees 12-4 victory over the Devil Rays. Abreu hit a three-run homer and a three-run double in a nine-run first and finished with a career-high seven RBIs.

Since coming over to the Bombers, Abreu has been an instant hit, as many expected. Already being called one of the best deals in modern Yankees history, Abreu is hitting .344/.436/.503 and is a perfect fit in their loaded lineup. With yesterday’s return of Hideki Matsui, the Yankees appear ready to roll into October as the favorite to win the World Series.

Gillick fields questions from season ticket holders

Phillies GM Pat Gillick answered questions from season ticket holders Tuesday, including questions about the future of third base and catcher, Randy Wolf and whether they will contend for a playoff spot next season.

As reported by Beerleaguer correspondent Billy Mac:

Question -- Any plans to offer a long term contract to Ryan Howard?
Gillick -- Unlikely this year. No need to.

Question -- Third base and catcher situation in 2007?
Gillick -- Plan on giving Ruiz a chance to play. Need to go outside the organization for third base.

Question -- Does Citizens Bank Park effect the organization's ability to acquire free agent pitching?
Gillick -- Thinks park has played fair this year and is not a factor.

Question -- Are there plans to acquire free agent pitching and resign Randy Wolf after the season?
Gillick -- Pitching is critical, yada, yada (didn't answer either question). Happy with Moyer, Myers, Hamels, and Lieber.

Questions -- A couple of questions regarding Burrell and his status ...
Gillick -- Burrell is not performing. We are trying to figure out what's wrong. 24 home runs is still significant. Can't answer question if he will be back next year.

Question -- What is the status of Charlie Manuel?
Gillick -- He's under contract next season and likely will be coming back.

Question/comment -- Lineup strikes out too much. What's being done to address it?
Gillick -- Need more contact hitters and lineup is especially weak 6 through 8 now.

Question -- Minor league/farm?
Gillick -- Ranked 30th last year by Baseball America. Mentioned improvement based on records of minor league clubs in 2006 versus 2005. Does not hold scouts accountable since the organization had traded away draft choices.

Question -- I asked Bob D's question about which minor league pitchers we could expect to see in majors in 2007.
Gillick -- Matt Smith, Brian Sanches, Justin Germano, Brian Mazone (Gillick said he expected at least one of those four, maybe two) along with Brito.

Question -- How about Victorino in CF and Rowand in RF?
Gillick -- Not a bad idea since Rowand played corner outfield in college and was converted to CF by ChiSox.

Question -- Are you surprised by Abreu's success in NY?
Gillick -- Abreu good player with good supporting cast. Need to change mix in Philly.

Question -- Can Phils contend in 2007?
Gillick -- Phils should be able to take a step forward in 2007 and be in Wild Card race. Will not contend with Mets.

Question -- What are the plans to improve the bench?
Gillick -- Some of the recent acquisitions may play that role next year. Looking for players that play a few positions for versatility. Not interested in just "professional hitters." Questioner specifically asked about free agent Matt Stairs and Gillick said he was the type of player they would consider.

A few other nonsensical question regarding trades involving Ryan Zimmerman, Dontrelle Willis, Miguel Cabrera, and Mark Mulder (questioner didn't know he likely will miss most of next year with shoulder surgery)

(Editor's note: Excellent group of questions, and thanks to Billy Mac for the update!)

Pat the Bat exposed in Philadelphia Daily News

Marcus Hayes delivers one of the most important articles on the Phillies this season, a probing look at struggling outfielder Pat Burrell. Take a look.

Questions for Phillies GM Pat Gillick

Beerleaguer regular Billy Mac will be attending tomorrow's season ticket holder Q&A session with Phillies GM Pat Gillick at Citizens Bank Park. Use the thread below to post question suggestions.

Phillies, Marlins weekend series wrap

A fast start was followed by a fast fizzle, as the Phillies split their four-game series with the Marlins in disappointing fashion.

The Phillies are showing no signs of becoming the charmed team that’s going to rise up claim the final spot in the National League. There have been tough struggles and justifiable losses along the way, but this latest effort was truly second-rate, with countless opportunities squandered, runs left on the table and entire games wasted. Aside from the Roger Clemens game, they’re not winning the tough ones, let alone contests where they have the upper hand. Playoff-caliber teams get the job done; the Phillies do not.

If there was any urgency to pull it together over the final stretch, it didn’t show. The best example is the way they handled the officiating. The umpiring crew botched calls all weekend long. Yesterday, Jeff Conine beat out a throw to first by half a step, but was called out. Manager Charlie Manuel sat on his hands. First base coach Mark Bombard looked on. This was a game everyone knew would be tight, so a blown call could be the difference. Dontrelle Willis made fools of Phillies hitters the rest of the way, and by the end, the Marlins literally won it in a 3-0 laugher.

A little more urgency might alleviate the glaring fact they’re short on horses. Everyone is aware of Pat Burrell’s on-going futility, none more than Ryan Howard. Howard no longer gets more than one or two at bats per game. But Burrell wasn’t close to the worst offender this series. Nope. That honor goes to the two-headed catcher of Chris Coste and Carlos Ruiz, who combined to strand 18 base runners. As a team, they stranded 17 just in Saturday night’s game. A pair of Howard homers is all that separated them from a 1-3 series loss.

They’re thinnest in bullpen. Pat Gillick added Arthur Rhodes and Tom Gordon for just this kind of series. Rhodes is officially cooked. We knew this months ago; Charlie Manuel did not. Now that the tendon is officially strained, maybe Manuel can bump him down the pecking order to work three-run leads in the seventh instead of tie games in the 10th. Gordon is only a shadow of the closer who made the All-Star team. There’s no snap on his breaking ball, crystal clear to the naked eye. Rhodes and Gordon represent Pat Gillick’s primary pitching acquisitions. One is now inactive, the other is barely getting by.

Tough times call for tough decisions, but even the easy choices are being missed. Abraham Nunez sees his batting average drop to .191 after an embarrassing night on Thursday, yet he starts two of the next three games. Then comes Saturday’s bullpen debacle. Not one clue.

Terrific pitchers' duel caps four-game set

Cole Hamels and Dontrelle Willis meet in a clash between outstanding young left-handers, as the Phillies and Marlins try to keep pace in the chase for the NL Wild Card.

If Ryan Howard deserves the most credit for keeping the Phillies hopes alive, then 22-year-old Cole Hamels (7-7, 4.33 ERA) gets the consolation prize. Check this out (from Press Pass):

• Hamels is 5-2 with a 2.58 ERA (15 ER, 52.1 IP) with a .209 opponents’ batting average in his last eight starts.

• He is averaging 9.5 SO/9.0 IP this season, and averaging 10.1 SO/9.0 IP in his last 10 starts (77 SO, 68.1 IP).

• He has pitched at least 6.0 innings in seven of his last eight starts. The lone exception was the cut finger game on Aug. 24.

• He has walked two batters or less in 15 of his 19 starts and in 12 straight starts, including just three walks in his last 37.0 innings.

If Hamels can keep his pitch count low, it would be wise to keep him in as long as possible. The bullpen is ragged and nobody seems to know the true status of closer Tom Gordon. Plus, Charlie Manuel doesn’t appear to have much of a game plan for how to use what’s left. Decent pitchers, like Geoff Geary and Ryan Madson, are running on fumes, and Manuel still refuses to use Fabio Castro in big spots, instead, opting for brutal Rhodes, who’s now out with a strained left elbow.

The Phillies have given Hamels lots of run support this season, and will go on the attack today against Dontrelle Willis (9-11, 3.93). The last time D-Train faced the Phillies, he gave up a season-high eight runs, six earned, and five hits in just 2 1-3 innings.

Myers takes turn; Big sports weekend continues

Phillies/Marlins isn’t the only marquee matchup today, but it’s dearest to our hearts. Brett Myers and the Phils try to hold off the Marlins once again, as Ryan Howard’s quest for National League MVP rolls on.

Just a couple of choices on the television dial today. A full docket of college football, including the revival of old foes Penn State and Notre Dame at 3:30 p.m. Later on at 8 p.m., Ohio State and Texas engage in a battle of No. 1 and 2 in the country. In addition, the U.S. Open continues in N.Y. Eagles kickoff tomorrow. The Battle of Brothers Manning commences in prime time.

In baseball, eyes are on San Diego and San Francisco. Beerleaguer reader, Greg, reminds us that Jason Schmidt goes for the Giants. In the American League, Detroit is in Minnesota to continue that important series.

Then there is the little matter of Ryan Howard’s charge at Roger Maris and the Phillies continued pursuit of the NL Wild Card today at 6 p.m.

Brett Myers (10-6, 4.06 ERA) was outstanding in his last start, holding the Braves to just one run on three hits while striking out 10 in eight innings. Myers has had pinpoint command lately, walking just four batters in his previous three starts. Myers will have a good opportunity to earn a team-leading 11th win again Brian Moehler (7-8, 6.18 ERA), the weak link of Florida’s rotation.

Injury stuff
The Inquirer reported that left-hander Aaron Fultz is now available if needed. Aaron Rowand had his hard cast removed.

Howard’s bombs deep six Fish

Ryan Howard cranked home runs No. 55 and 56 to drive in all three Phillies runs in last night’s 3-2 defeat of Florida.

Howard’s historic run is putting the pressure on writers to come up with something remarkable to write about after every game. After last night, he joined Jimmie Foxx in 1932 and Babe Ruth in 1921 as the only players in history to hit at least 56 home runs in a season at age 26 or younger.

This is a campaign few others have matched, numbering perhaps five or six of the greatest single offensive seasons in the history of the game, none of which are attached to the name Barry Bonds. He’s projected to finish with 65 homers and 159 RBIs, all while hitting .311.

Howard is locked in, creating magic that’s scarcely been seen. Last night’s second home run would have translated to a hump-back lineout to right field for any other hitter. Instead, the ball exploded off Howard’s bat, negated physics and landed in the right-field porch. This was served up on an inside, low-90s fastball from left-handed pitcher Scott Olsen. Howard’s reaction was instantaneous. This was a pitch he was never supposed to hit.

In 16 games since Aug. 23, Howard is batting .464 (26-for-56) with 13 homers, 26 RBIs, 20 runs scored, a .569 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of 1.214. The Phillies are literally riding his bat into October. They have now won 16 of their last 25 games and crawled back to within 1 1/2 games of San Diego.

Howard's heroic quest trumps mere standings in depth and national scale. He deserves his own press following comprised of the nation's best writers and columnists. Round up the gang from the glory days of BalcoGate and Barry's run at the Babe. This assignment is better for the soul.

Moyer and Conine
Jamie Moyer and Jeff Conine may turn into feather in the cap of Pat Gillick this season. Moyer baffled the Marlins over eight outstanding innings last night, while Jeff Conine went 2-for-4 out of the No. 5 hole. Conine went deep in Thursday’s game.

Left-handers young and old battle tonight

The Phillies had another offensive explosion last night, but it did little to erase the effects of time and improve their mediocre 71-69 record. They still trail San Diego by 2.5 games in the wild card race and need to keep at it tonight in Florida.

Jamie Moyer (1-1, 5.12 ERA) allowed three runs and six hits in 7 1-3 innings on Sunday, but probably pitched a little better than those numbers indicate. Moyer surrendered a late home run when he was on the brink of being pulled anyway. It was his best start as a Phillie.

Moyer and the rest of the starting pitching staff have come together down the stretch. In the Phillies’ last nine games, the starting pitchers have posted a 2.91 ERA (18 ER, 55.2 IP), pitching at least 7.0 innings in five of the nine games. In addition, the starters have issued just 12 walks in their last 67.2 innings.

The offense has been solid as well. Since the all-star break, the Phillies are 31-22 (.585), which is the 3rd-best record in the NL, behind only the Mets (34-16) and Marlins (32-22). Offensively since the break, the Phillies lead the NL in hits (539), HR (81), runs (333), RBI (317), on-base percentage (.365), HBP (42), total bases (909) and stolen base percentage (91.4, 32-for-35). They are second in walks (217) and slugging percentage (.477).

For the Marlins, Scott Olsen (12-7 4.04 ERA) looks to win his fourth straight game. The 22-year-old left-hander threw seven shutout innings and struck out seven in a 10-3 win over Milwaukee on Sunday.

Despite the solid offense and starting pitching, the Phils are still doing a lot of things wrong, including problems in the bullpen, questionable strategy and front office moves that are still in doubt. For that portion, I'll turn it over to the comment thread below.

Speed kills: Phillies go from poky to pesky

The Phillies received a shot in the arm with the injection of speed merchant Shane Victorio at the top of the lineup. Next season, the club could explore this concept even further.

If the Phillies were so inclined, they could field the fastest lineup in the National League next season. That’s predicated on whether they’re ready to roll with Michael Bourn, their top position prospect and sure winner of this season’s Paul Owens Award for best Phillies minor league position player. The belief is that the 23-year-old former 19th-round pick has a better upside than 27-year-old Chris Roberson, and also trumps him in the field.

I've seen enough to assume Victorino is ready to become a full-time contributor. His numbers back me up in two stints taking over for Aaron Rowand. The team can’t be wild about his swing, but with his arm, range and speed, they’ll take his flaws with a grain of salt. He’s been a nice, speedy fit at No. 2, but would probably fit better in right rather than center, where he could uncork relays to second and truly unleash that backdoor play to first.

Slow and plodding for many seasons, the Phillies have bolted their way to the top of the league in runs scored. Obviously, Ryan Howard’s 135 RBIs are a huge part of it, but the team is also manufacturing runs using speed and extra-base hits, as Victorino and fellow lightning bolt Roberson showed last night with a pair of late-game triples. This is a huge weapon in NL East canyons like Florida and Washington.

Around this time last season, the Phillies ranked close to dead last in extra-base hits. Along with strikeouts, it’s the primary reason why the offense bottomed out so many times, despite maintaining the league’s highest on-base percentage.

What a difference a year makes. This season, the Phils have banged out 475 extra-baggers, second most in the National League behind New York. They’re tenth in doubles, seventh in triples and second in home runs. Credit Howard, but it's still fairly amazing, considering Citizens Bank Park has a growing reputation as a difficult place to double and triple.

With Chase Utley hitting third, and underrated big-man speed in Howard batting cleanup, the Phillies can beat you in many ways right out of the chute. The club is in very good shape to dump nearly all their resources into pitching next season. Even if Pat Burrell’s albatross contract is not moved, there’s still room to take on a high-end third baseman, perhaps in a trade involving pitching prospects. The Phillies suddenly have a cache of more mid-level minor league arms than they can use. Teams like Kansas City, Texas and Colorado could sure use them, and may be prepared to move Mark Teahen (KC), Hank Blalock (Tex) or Garrett Atkins (Col). Atkins was brought up in an e-mail earlier today. He's a good fit because he’s a right-handed bat, plus, he’s buds with Chase Utley from their days at UCLA. Colorado has a 3B in waiting in Ian Stewart, as does Kansas City with Alex Gordon. For any of these players, my package would included the vastly over-hyped Gio Gonzalez and another young arm.

With a better-hitting third baseman to compliment the key players, the door could be wide open to experiment with a light-hitting, but quick and defense-oriented outfield. It’s the economic choice, too. Judging from readers’ response to the current lineup, they’re sold on the Phillies' newly discovered speed.

If anything, it's an exciting hypothesis. Perhaps it reminds Phans of the dynamic lineups that have burned them in the past. There's just something about speed that makes good things happen.

Phillies begin first of 10 with Florida Marlins

After a day of second-guessing, the Phillies are back at it against a familiar September foe.

No need to bore you with a whole lot of pregame. We’re all aware of what’s happening. Down three games in the Wild Card, the Phillies have entered a make or break situation against the hottest team in the league. Crunch time.

This is a different Marlins team than the timid group of unknowns they faced earlier in the season. They've matured quickly into a dynamic club, with an explosive lineup that can beat you in a lot of different ways, to go with tremendous young pitching staff, which just added Anibal Sanchez’s no-hitter to its growing resume.

The Fish are for real, and playing as well as any team in the National League. But for sake of talking playoffs, they’re in the same boat as Philadelphia. The Phillies and Marlins are knotted up at 70-69 on the season, hoping someone can capsize San Diego, winners of five-straight themselves and playing solid overall baseball.

I would imagine there is a different clubhouse feel from a week ago. The new acquisitions, brought in to deliver those heavy, veteran blows, have settled into the mix, aware the Phillies are behind the eight ball yet again. Once left for dead, the Phillies could never shake this Wild Card possibility. It’s been sitting there for over a month, and now there are expectations to seize it.

How will the Marlins respond tonight? They’re coming off an emotional no-hitter; and it wouldn’t come as a shock if they came out flat. Just one of those things. After emotional games, you'd think teams would get a charge. Most of the time, it works the opposite. As they always say, momentum is only as good as tomorrow's starting pitcher.

The Phillies went on a nice run against cookie right-handers like Ramon Ortiz and Pedro Astacio. Now they've run into the Rocket, Pettitte, and will see these young guns who are giving the rest of the league fits, beginning tonight against Josh Johnson (12-6, 2.99 ERA). Johnson will give up walks, including 68 of them in 147.1 innings, but his ERA places him third in baseball. Johnson beat the Phillies 15-2 on July 31, allowing one run and five hits in seven innings.

The Phillies will counter with Jon Lieber (6-9, 4.93 ERA), who needs to win. Period. Over his career, Lieber is a good September pitcher, and has improved dramatically since the trade deadline.

Expect a return to conservative scores, and unfortunately many more big spots for the bullpen. Tom Gordon could be the key to this series, and perhaps the rest of the season.

In addition, if you think teams will pitch Ryan Howard the way he's been pitched most of the season, think again. They've seen the highlight tape of the Howitzer smacking all pitches. With the quality of pitchers coming up, including two left-handers in Scott Olsen and Dontrelle Willis, he's going to be lucky to see much of anything. This will be an important series for the five hitter, whoever that might be.

Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino must keep at it, and Chase Utley needs to come up with some more RBIs. 1-2-3 will be critical. Anything the rest of the lineup 6-though-9 can produce is a bonus.

We should know more on Monday, perhaps from the color of the baseball caps people are wearing out at the supermarket. Fire-engine red, or hunter green.

Game on: Wolf starts without Lieberthal

It’s that time of year when baseball teams resemble walking wounded. The latest addition is catcher Mike Lieberthal, who's expected to be out 10 days with a back injury.

The Phillies are no different from any other team this late in the season. For example, over half their outfield is either out or dinged up. That’s common.

A look around the roster finds some new additions to the list. Pitcher Scott Mathieson was moved to the 15-day DL with a sprained right elbow. Though Mathieson was like a sixth starter, the injury is considered serious because the Phillies fear ligament damage, which could lead to Tommy John surgery. For a young pitcher like Mathieson, it could set his development back two years.

The latest casualty is no stranger to injury. Mike the catcher is expected to miss at least a week after suffering back spasms. The Phillies responded by purchasing the contract of catcher Tim Gradoville from Double-A Reading. The Phillies made room for Gradoville by releasing Scranton outfielder Josh Kroeger outright to clear space on the 40-man roster. Kroeger, once considered a decent outfield prospect, was having a terrible year. The Phillies also recalled infielder Danny Sandoval from Reading.

Randy Wolf (3-0, 5.30 ERA) typically throws to Lieberthal, but will instead throw to Carlos Ruiz tonight. Wolf has lasted exactly five innings in each of his last three starts, a victim of high pitch counts mostly, otherwise he's done okay. He’ll get a break against a dreadful Houston lineup that ranks near the bottom in all offensive categories. Wolf enters the game with a 14-game unbeaten streak. He’ll look for No. 15 against fellow southpaw Andy Pettitte (13-13, 4.44 ERA), who looks to win his third straight start.

The Phillies find themselves two games out in the wild card race with just 24 games remaining, so every opportunity now becomes precious. They will continue to lean on the big bat of Ryan Howard, who hit his league-leading 53rd home run his last game. The longer the start from Wolf tonight, the better. The bullpen is running ragged.

"Ryan Howard" + "Steroids" = Nonsense

I can tell from my hit tracker that readers are searching Beerleaguer for discussion about Ryan Howard, his home run chase and questions about steroid use. It wasn’t something I was in the mood to discuss, but after browsing some out-of-town articles, needless to say, I’m compelled.

Anyone who has followed baseball for the past 10 years has a right to speculate. Baseball broke a solemn vow that what we were seeing was real. The game has since been exposed, but the residue still lingers. Every outstanding feat is in question, and justifiably so. This is particularly true for home runs.

As a Phillies fan, I feel obligated to stand behind Ryan Howard and enjoy this incredible once-in-a-lifetime ride, and I don’t feel much bias or guilt about that. One way to heighten the experience is to shut out the outside static from out-of-town writers and cynics.

Everyone has a right to speculate, and since Beerleaguer can be accessed just as easily as the national outlets, I’ll do my part to issue my own brand of speculation. Maybe this post, and your comments, will come up in a Google search in time for Howard to break Roger Maris’ mark of 61.

Howard is the same size today as he was in Reading two seasons ago. He’s toting the same suit-wearing frame I saw, sitting alone, at the 2004 King of Baseballtown banquet before the season, when everyone else was waiting in line to meet pitcher Gavin Floyd. I knew little about Howard at the time, other than he had great raw power and was coming off a solid home run season in the Florida State League. But with Jim Thome signed as a long-term fixture at first base, nobody envisioned much of a future for Howard in Philadelphia.

That season, he went on to hit 37 home runs in Reading - a franchise record - and 48 total on the season. The picture above is from the night he received the Shining Star Award after he broke Greg Luzinski’s record. It looks like it could have been taken yesterday.

Before this season, I saw him once again during the Winter Tour, and darned if he wasn’t wearing the same suit. This was around the time Baseball Prospectus ran his career numbers through a computer and predicted his power output for 2006: 50 homers, the most surprising number in the book. It turned out to be short.

Today, his 53 homers are on pace to break Roger Maris’ mark of 61, which stood for 37 years. Physically, he's a fully-grown 6-4 slugger, and swings perhaps the heaviest bat in baseball this side of Alfonso Soriano. There's your power source, not growth hormone, and it doesn't hurt to have an eagle eye to punish all pitches. He's hitting .309. Physically, his head has not swelled to the size of a pumpkin, and his arms show little definition at all. If anything, his head is almost cherubic, and his body is far from shredded. It looks like his exercise regiment could be bowling and watching Chappelle's Show every night, and I have it on good authority this last statement is not far off the mark.

It’s a lifestyle that wouldn’t be far off from a modern-day Babe Ruth, who did it on hot dogs and beer.

Beer nuts: Mazone gets the ball Wednesday

The Phillies will hand the ball to a real wild card tomorrow in veteran minor league left-hander Brian Mazone, who will make his major-league debut against Houston.

The 30-year-old left-hander has bounced around the minors and independent leagues for several years, but has never surfaced in the majors. The report is he is not a hard thrower and relies on deception, changing speeds and location.

Mazone (pictured outside a Taco Bell or something) is obviously doing something right, emerging from nowhere to become Scranton’s best pitcher this season. In 20 starts, he went 13-3 with a 2.03 ERA, with 85 strikeouts to 36 walks. Importantly, he’s keeping the ball in the park, giving up just 6 home runs in Scranton. It was the same story in Double-A Reading, where he begain the season after signing as a minor league free agent.

The 6-4 hurler originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Braves in 1998. The Phillies are his fourth major league organization, in addition to two stops in the independent leagues.

Beerleaguer take
My guess is the Phillies like what they saw from Cole Hamels yesterday against the Astros lineup. The Astros are hitting a little better against left-handers on the season, but looked a little out of sorts yesterday. Granted, Hamels pitched lights-out. At the very least, this move forces Lance Berkman to his weaker side. Berkman is hitting just .261 from the right and is the only hitter in the lineup who really scares you.

Symbolically, it continues the growing trend of trusting unheralded minor league talent in big spots. Plus, it's pretty amazing how far Gavin Floyd's stock has fallen, as someone mentioned. Floyd, once considered one of the great pitching prospects in baseball, has now been bypassed by several others, including Mazone, who's a total unknown.

Tejeda throws 6 2-3 shutout innings
Former Phillies prospect Robinson Tejeda (4-3, 5.82 ERA) took a shutout into the seventh inning yesterday and earned the win in the Rangers 8-1 defeat of Oakland. The 25-year-old right-hander, who was traded during spring training to Texas for David Dellucci, had a six-game winning streak for Triple-A Oklahoma before getting called up Aug. 19. This was his third consecutive victory.

Site note
Beerleaguer wouldn’t be half as good without its faithful and active readership. I’m very proud of this site and work hard to maintain a high level of quality. I'm also proud of its intellegent, faithful following. Beerleaguer has accomplished what I set out to create from day one: a fun, active forum about Phillies baseball, where well-reasoned discourse is welcomed and encouraged.

However, there is no room for antagonists and personal attacks. Nobody is interested in reading a comment thread that is one long, angry argument. Please do not engage in this type of behavior, and if you feel you are being antagonized, don’t take the bait. I’ll take care of the rest. As always, your participation is most welcome. Respect for one another's opinion goes without saying.

Houston dominance underscores critical series

This afternoon’s marquee matchup between rookie Cole Hamels and future Hall of Famer Roger Clemens may carry the headline, but the subplot finds an Astros team that has broken the Phillies hearts for two seasons.

There’s an excellent piece by Don Bostrom of the Morning Call previewing this series with the Astros. It's not online, otherwise I’d link to it. In it, Bostrom summarizes the last two years of this series. The Phillies have not defeated the Astros since May 18, 2003, and many of the losses have been backbreakers, particularly last season. He also talks about Pat Burrell, who has yet to get a hit off the Astros since Citizens Bank Park opened in 2004, and was 1-for-18 against them in 2005. Ironically, as part of the club's 2004 Winter Tour promotion before the park opened, a promotional rendering of the new scoreboard had the Phillies beating the Astros on a walk-off Burrell home run.

It's not going to get any easier for Burrell today. Roger Clemens (6-4, 2.29 ERA), maybe the best pitcher in the National League, last faced the Phillies July 27 of 05, and dominated them in a 3-2 win.

That was hardly the worst of it. The Phillies were Wild Card leaders when the Astros entered Philadelphia last Labor Day. Here’s what happened, as summarized by Bostrom:

Sept. 5: Astros 4, Phillies 3: Houston scores four runs off Brett Myers in the first and holds on for the win, putting them in the WC lead

Sept 6: Astros 2, Phillies 1: Wagner gives up a run in the ninth to take the loss in his first career outing against his former team.

Sept 7: Astros 8, Phillies 6: Bobby Abreu’s two-run homer caps a rally that gives Philadelphia a 6-5 lead entering in the ninth. Wagner’s career-best streak of 26 saves comes to an end when a two-out error by David Bell leads to a game-winning, three-run home run by Craig Biggio.

The previous post referenced expectations, psycology and pressure. Luckily, Cole Hamels (7-7, 4.50 ERA) wasn’t around for all that. Hamels allowed just one run in eight innings of Wednesday's 5-1 win at Washington. He has never faced Houston.

At 67-70, Houston is still in the Wild Card hunt, and playing well. They’ve won seven of their last 10. Meanwhile, the Phillies are coming off a disappointing split in a winnable series with Atlanta. They dropped 1 ½ games back of the front-running Padres.

Check your expectations at the door

Although it never made headlines, the Phillies did, in fact, reacquire “expectations” after the non-waiver deadline. They had previously traded “expectations” away, after a short and fruitless career in Philadelphia.

They were doing just fine without it, when all of a sudden, they got “expectations” back for a low-level minor leaguer. Not surprisingly, it hasn’t been working out. “Expectations” is still the clubhouse cancer, screwing with heads and playing with fan emotions.

It’s interesting how players have responded since "expectations" has returned.

The Jeff Conine deal happened right around the time national writers starting making their predictions. Many slotted Philadelphia into the Wild Card.

That night, “expectations” returned to the clubhouse. He cornered Conine first. After all, they rode the plane to town together. After yesterday’s 0-fer, it looks like Conine is already pressing. "Expectations" claims his first, as Conine claims a baseball bat.

This weekend, we saw a bullpen getting exposed at a predictably inopportune time. They had their best month in August, after Pat Gillick seemingly gave up and traded two key members away. Isn’t it interesting, too, what's happened to Chase Utley since this became "his team." Chase is carrying a look of a player who's either out of gas or out of faith. Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins seem to be the only players who couldn't wait for games to mean finally something – but it’s like they’re living a dream few others share.

Looking specifically at the games they’ve lost, you could point to a couple areas, specifically the bullpen. But there’s no coincidence they're starting to cough it up now that it's all on the line. Same for Cincinnati, who’s now 2 1/2 out of the Wild Card after leading most of the summer. The Reds were he most active NL player at the trade deadline. Meanwhile, the team without expectations, Florida, now trails the Phils by a half game, while San Diego, a team that made it to October last year, is starting to distance themselves from the pack.

The best teams always find room for expectations. The Phillies never seem to have room on their roster.

Phils win thriller; Myers set for Game 2

Wow! Are you kidding me? It took a miracle ninth inning comeback just for Ryan Howard's three homers and Jamie Moyer's seven-plus strong innings not to go in vain. Now, they send Brett Myers to the mound to finish off Atlanta.

Hearing "MVP" chants all afternoon from the crowd at Citizens Bank Park, Howard passed Ralph Kiner for most home runs in a sophomore year, hitting his 50th, 51st and 52nd home runs of the season. Kiner hit 51 back in 1947. It almost wasn't enough, as the Phillies watched a 6-1 lead disappear into a 7-6 deficit, including another 9th-inning implosion by the Phillies' bullpen. But with the score tied 7-7 in the bottom of the inning, Shane Victorino delivered the game-winning hit off closer Bob Wickman to give the Phils the 8-7 win.

Next, Brett Myers (10-6, 4.24 ERA) will look to follow Jamie Moyer's strong performance in Game 1. Moyer lasted 7 1-3 innings, and would have lasted longer had it not been for Todd Pratt's eighth inning blast. The Braves will counter Myers with converted reliever Lance Cormier (2-4, 5.87 ERA).

This is another good opportunity for the Phils, who will need to put an emotional Game 1 behind them and go on the attack yet again.

Skies clear; Moyer makes home debut in Game 1

With Ernesto gone, only the Phillies’ bullpen has stood in their own way. After yesterday's bitter split, the Phils now trail San Diego by a full game in the NL Wild Card race.

The best way for the Phillies to take the bullpen out of the equation is to do what they did last night in Game 2 by battering their opponent into submission. The Phils rattled off 20 hits in a 16-4 win over Atlanta, getting plenty of help from their new acquisitions. Only a deep fly ball to right field separated Jose Hernandez from a 5-for-5 night. Jeff Conine went 3-for-5 with three RBIs. And the newest addition, Randall Simon, is two-for-two in red pinstripes, with an RBI single in the second game. In addition to the new guys, Mike Lieberthal hit a two-run homer and knocked in four runs.

Ryan Howard may not have homered, but the day ended with the MVP candidate seeing his batting average climb to .301 on the season. Howard was on base six times in the two games, and has his on-base percentage up near .400.

Second only to Howard for sustained offense lately is Shane Victorino, who’s slapping the ball all over the place. The speedy second-year center fielder went 6-for-10 in yesterday's action, and also made a fine play in Game 1 to double Chipper Jones off second base.

Jamie Moyer (1-1, 6.00 ERA) will make his first career start at Citizens Bank Park. The 43-year-old left-hander will look to bounce back after a loss to the Mets on Monday. The Braves will counter with Tim Hudson (11-10, 4.85), looking to extend his win streak to four games.

Flash could return today
According to this morning's Inquirer, Tom Gordon could be back in action today. Flash made his second rehabilitation appearance last night for single-A Clearwater and allowed one hit and struck out two in two scoreless innings.

Rhodes blows Game 1; Mathieson starts Game 2

Arthur Rhodes gave up the game like it was his job earlier this afternoon, as the Braves notched a 4-3 victory over the Phillies. They'll turn to rookie Scott Mathieson to salvage a split.

Rhodes, brought in to face left-handed hitter Adam LaRoche, surrendered a 9th-inning two-run home run deep into the right field seats. It was Rhodes' second blown save in as many opportunities, and he has now allowed 16 runs in 19 1-3 innings at home.

Rhodes spoiled a good game by Chase Utley, who hit two homers to put the Phils ahead 3-0. Jon Lieber pitched eight strong innings and earned a no decision. Shane Victorino went 4-for-4 with a brilliant diving catch in center field. Randall Simon singled to left in his first at-bat for the Phillies after being acquired from Texas yesterday. It was Simon's first hit in the majors since Sept. 3, 2004.

The second game features a battle between two young hurlers. For Philadelphia, Scott Mathieson (1-4, 7.23 ERA) has been called into action for a spot start. He’ll face Kyle Davies (2-3, 6.12 ERA), making his first Braves appearance since May 15.