Beer nuts: Matt Smith hit his spots yesterday

Matt Smith hasn't been pitching clean innings this season, but broadcaster Larry Andersen believes Charlie Manuel will stick by his lone left-handed reliever because he has the stuff to turn it around.

Smith relieved starter Freddy Garcia after Garcia surrendered a double to lead off the 6th inning yesterday. Smith was called on to face Josh Hamilton, Adam Dunn and stayed in to face Javier Valentin, getting Hamilton to strike out, then ran the count full to Dunn and lost him on a borderline call. Valentin then lined out and Smith was lifted for Geoff Geary.

Andersen said the key for Smith is to get his first pitch over for a strike, as he did against Hamilton, and stop trying to be too fine. Before yesterday, Smith had retired only two of the nine left-handers he’s faced all season.

With Brett Myers inching toward the closer role, along with a workman-like effort from Antonio Alfonseca so far, I’d like to see Smith become the next reliever to start stringing together some consistent innings.

Getting to know Mikey
READING, Pa. - Beer in hand and standing near the picnic pavilion along the third base side, I heard the name "Mikey" circulating from an approaching family and knew I was surrounded by Mike Costanzo’s relatives. Ramona and David Gallo, Costanzo’s aunt and uncle, couldn’t find seats for themselves and their three children, but this spot was suitable and very close to Mikey. I chatted with David for over an hour about his nephew and how much it meant when the Phils drafted him. Big Mike, Costanzo’s pop, is a huge Phillies fan, so when the Phillies made his son a top draft choice two seasons ago, it was like a dream.

David asked what I thought about his nephew and I said it looks like he’s getting a hard lesson in the quality of Double-A pitching. He struck out his first at bat yesterday against a touted left-hander, making it 26 strikeouts in 58 at bats for Costanzo this season. Scouts either love him or hate him, I said, but all agree on his sound defense and rifle arm. If he can get it together, there’s an opportunity for him in Philadelphia down the road.

Costanzo is always smiling, made even more noticeable by his gleaming white teeth, which David joked about. He says Reading is much better than any other spot he’s been because he can jet home whenever he wants. In Batavia, he stayed in a basement and ate a steady diet of Applebee’s. Nothing phases him. He’d play for dirt; he loves it so much.

In his second at bat, Costanzo bounced a grounder to the shortstop, but the throw pulled the first baseman off the bag by a foot. Everyone saw it but the umpire, who called him out. Costanzo, laughing and smiling just moments before as his family called out from the peanut gallery, was now getting tossed for arguing the call. David said he’s never seen him act like this. It’s frustration, I said. That’s what a start like this will do.

Bench stuff
Everyone is wondering when outfielder Michael Bourn will get sent back to Triple-A. An equally justifiable question is how much longer can they use a roster spot on Jayson Werth, who has two at bats since Wednesday. At least with Bourn, they’re filling a need by using him to run, catch and throw. Greg Dobbs, who started in left yesterday, can play multiple positions. I have a hard time believing Werth, who missed all of last season, is in any sort of rhythm at all. I see no value in it, especially over what Chris Coste could bring as a third catcher.

Deja Vu
Tonight's starter, Chris Sampson, is the pitcher the Phils faced the last time they hosted a Monday makeup game with the Astros. You remember it well, I'm sure. Sampson will face Adam Eaton, who essentially replaced Randy Wolf in the rotation. Wolf started that fateful night on Sept. 25. Let's sit Matt Smith out this one, shall we?

Comments

[Tim]

i'd be nice to see the first three game win streak of the year.

i agree with l.a. smith, like all the relievers, needs to throw some strikes.

[Jim]

Since Houston seems to have our number in recent years, it would have been nice to get a little more momentum (i.e. right into another Nats series) under our belts before having to play these guys again.

Eaton pitched solidly his last time out, so hopefully the home fans don't jump all over him tonight. He seems to have a Philly Phan Bullseye on his back that perceived underwhelming acquisitions sometimes tend to get.

[loctastic]

I'm going to the game tonight. My wife had an offer from the Phillies for $5 tickets. They must be trying their hardest to pack the place. It won't be too hard, the weather should be perfect.

Let's just hope Eaton doesn't disappoint.

[ae]

it's too bad we have to start Eaton against teams that aren't the Mets.

although he wasn't bad in the game against the Nats; if he hadn't been hit in the hand by that liner I don't think he would've given up the fluke 3-R HR to Schneider.

[GM-Carson]

I'm expecting good things tonight. I think we're going to see Utley and Howard clicking (finally) and the offense score some runs for Eaton and co.

I like Bourn on this roster for his speed and defense...bat is very suspect. Werth is a waste. I'd love to see Coste called up and regulate Barajas to strictly bench duty.

Matt Smith is the Ace of Walks. 8 games, 8 walks, 3.1 IP...horrible!

[RickSchuBlues]

Smith pitching to Adam Dunn yesterday reminded me a lot of that outing he had against the 'Stros last last season, in which he was making good pitches just off the plate, and the hitters were laying off and walking. I think the key is to make sure they're strikes before worrying about whether they're unhittable. Smith said he 'couldn't believe' Dunn laid off some of the pitches, but after all, they were balls. Andersen is right, he definitely tries to be too fine. It's too bad Castro was so unexpectedly abyssmal in spring training; Smith as the lone left-handed option is a real weak link on this team. He has the capability to be a decent reliever, but he shouldn't have such an important role while he's clearly ready to demonstrate that capability. The only problem, of course, is that there's virtually no other choice. Sad.

Good story about meeting the Costanzos. You sure hope he can make it and be the rare hometown hero - when have the Phillies ever had that? - but it sounds like he's got some major holes in his game at this point.

[Brad]

I wonder if Flash is gonna close the next time a save situation arises. They need to not beat around the bush and just put Myers as their closer. Gordon, Alfonseca, and Myers 7-8-9 doesn't look to shabby at all.

[dajafi]

Fabio Castro is off to a good start for Ottawa: 7.1 IP, 2 R/1 ER, 4 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts. I'd keep Smith, who will get straightened out at some point, but try to find a spot for Castro as well.

[RickSchuBlues]

'...he shouldn't have such an important role while he's clearly ready to demonstrate that capability.'

Make that *not* ready. Guh.

[Billy Mac]

Jason, Sept 25th, 2006 essentially ended the season. I recall Rick White and Matt Smith not challenging hitters and loading the bases in the 30 minute half inning. We saw two pitchers who didn't trust their stuff and didn't trust their catcher (Lieby). I see more of the same this year with Smith.

[Alby]

The mystery to me is why they dumped Aaron Fultz. No, he wasn't great, but that's not what you're after with LH relievers -- all you want is someone to face opposition lefties in late innings. As it stands now, Smith is doing that in the 6th, but when the heart of the order comes up against in the 8th, there's no lefty to call on. Another case of poor roster management by Gillick, IMO.

[Willard Preacher]

"It’s frustration, I said. That’s what a start like this will do."

Spoken like a dedicated follower of Phillies baseball. After just a couple of decades following the Phils, I think I could open up a consulting firm and teach people how to deal with frustration in the light of underachieving.

[gr]

fultz was an arbitration/option case and would have been due something like $3 mil. i woudl have liked to see them keep him, sicne he, along with geary, prved to be pretty durable. he had some dead arm issues last year, but was fairly dependable as a 7th inning type in both seasons.

[Dave Kingman]

Fultz's stats: 5.2 innings, 1.59 era, 7 so, 2 bb,3 hits, 1 hr, 0.88 whip and .227 oba. I think the Phillies could use him right now.

[Dave Kingman]

Much rather have Fultz at $1.5 million then Barajas at $2.5 million.

[GM-Carson]

Viva La Model Dictator...Ixnay on Matt Smith

[Lake Fred]

Driving back to Houston from New Orleans on Sunday night, I was listening to ESPN radio. They had a reporter who said he talked to Gillick recently and when he asked Gillick if Cholly was on a short leash for his job, Gillick told the reporter that Cholly did not have to worry about getting fired. I guess we'll just have to live with that sad fact. I can see Carson having a choking fit on that news.

Last night, insomnia got me awake in the wee hours and I turned on the local sports radio and they were playing Fox sports and they were talking about the Yankees and their bad pitching. Then they talked about possible trades and mentioned Brett Myers. They said the Phillies were dissatisfied with Brett and had demoted him to the bullpen, so he should be available to trade. That just shows how these stupid wrongheaded rumors get started. We know that sending Myers to the pen was because they all suck; and to give Lieber a chance to start, because Krispy Kreme Boy sucked big time as a reliever.

I am all excited, that in my exile in Houston, I'll get to see tonight's game on local TV. Too bad I get to watch Eaton pitch.