Game chat: Phillies, Mets collide in key NL East series

The Phillies have a chance to close ground, and even overtake the division lead from the Mets this weekend. However, the Phils face an uphill climb with three inexperienced pitchers scheduled to throw, including today's starter, J.D. Durbin.

Preview: Led by Jimmy Rollins, the Phils closed out their series with a 8-7, 10-inning victory over the Reds last night. The win improved them to 41-37 (.526) on the season and three-games back of the incoming Mets. The series featured plenty of clutch offense, but also some shaky moments from the Phillies’ bullpen, which will now head into today’s day-night double header on short rest and J.D. Durbin making his Phillies debut.

Durbin pitched in one game for the Arizona Diamondbacks earlier this season and lasted 2-3 of an inning and allowed seven runs. He was 2-4 with a 4.55 ERA in 10 starts with Ottawa, the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate. This is Durbin’s first major league start since 2004.

Last night’s Mets game was rained out in St. Louis, so they’re rested and ready. Stumbling through most of June, the Mets turned the corner last weekend with a three-game sweep in Oakland. They followed with a couple wins in St. Louis and are winners of five of six.

The Mets will switch Orlando Hernandez (3-3, 2.77 ERA) into the first game and start John Maine tonight against Cole Hamels. Hernandez, having a good season, did not factor in the decision in the Mets' 1-0 win over Oakland. He is 0-1 with a 7.58 ERA in four career starts against the Phils.

Key matchups: Jose Reyes versus Phillies pitching. Reyes is a career .337 hitter with .928 OPS against the Phils, highest against any team besides Baltimore and Toronto. Jimmy Rollins versus the Mets. J-Roll has backed up his pre-season boasting with a fine season against his adversary. He’s 13-for-32 (.406) with a 1.238 OPS and three homers against them. Pat Burrell versus Billy Wagner. Burrell hit a game-tying home run off Wagner in the ninth inning back on June 6 in New York, helping complete a stunning three-game sweep. It snapped Wagner’s string of 31 consecutive successful save opportunities and was Burrell’s 17th homer at Shea. Cole Hamels versus Paul LoDuca. Hamels was upset at LoDuca's posturing last series and LoDuca fired back on WFAN radio, saying he “could give a rat's 'you know what' ” about Hamels or his statements. Lastly, Julio Franco, age 48, versus Jose Mesa, age unknown. For no other reason than the novelty of it.

Mets fan perspective: Tom Goyne of the Phillies blog "Balls, Sticks & Stuff" interviews "Metsblog" writer D.J. Short to get the lowdown on the state of the Mets. [Link]

Comments

[Mr J]

Marty Bystrom and Bob Walk were rookies who did well in 1980. Maybe Durbin and Happ will also do well. Let's think like a winner.

[Mike H.]

The link for the LoDuca story is here

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2007/06/29/2007-06-29_
lo_duca_outburst_has_latin_accent-2.html

[Reed]

a split in this series and I am doing cartwheels. a split today w/ Cole gettin' number 10 will help me relax, escpecially being in Met-ville here.

I am worried as I feel this series may catapult the Mets O. Hopefully our O steps up...we are going to need it.

Keep Reyes off base, youngsters!

[R.Billingsly]

Thanks, Mike H. LoDuca's kind of an a**hole, huh?

[Alby]

So Myers has "tweaked" his shoulder? That's it for the season, IMO. They better find out what's actually going on in there; time to send him to one of the actual pitching orthopedic specialists.

[Bridoc10]

Where did you read that, Alby?

Reed, where are you in Met-ville? I live in Hoboken; work in Manhattan.

[Mike H.]

Kind of. Heh.

[Mike]

I hope LoDuca is in the Hamels game batting second. I want a strikeout of Reyes and a 94 fastball in LoDuca's ribs. He NEEDS to get hit for the way he acted last time they played.

[Reed]

Live in JC and work in Manhattan. My whole office is filled with Mut fans. I used to live in Boken at 11th & Wash. Now I'm in JC Heights.

[SirAlden]

Last Night Chase Utley hit not One but Two homeruns on fastballs groved in on 3-0 counts for which he has an automatic GREEN LIGHT.

In a past thread Utley was attacked for situational hitting on 3-0.

Utley the best hitter in Baseball has earned his GREEN LIGHT. He has earned the right.

[Bridoc10]

I'm not sure this is any better, but I'm surrounded by Yankees fans at my job.

My fiance and I live on 14th & Washington in 'boken.

[P O'Neil]

You're GD right about that Sir Alden.

[Reed]

LoDuca seems like he is on the verge of being Michael Douglas in Falling Down. If Cole hits him, LoDuca may pull out a gun...like that running back in The Last Boy Scout.

[Reed]

nice. we'll have to hit up Liberty at some point to catch a Phightins game.

[Dan]

Reed, what's up? I live in Hobo too, 10th and willow...so tough bein a phils fan here...i have found there are lot of eagles fans though...i will def take a split...im setting myself up for disaster...have a bad feeling the mets take 3/4

[yt]

Tough being a Phils fan in NJ? Try Brooklyn, I get heckeled for wearing my Utley Jersey everytime I step out of my apartment.

[Reed]

Lots of Eagles fans up here. Bagel Smashery is right by you -- prok roll and cheese on a smashed bagel...plus, the coffee girl is hot.

3/4, won't be the end of the world, considering our SPs and our BP this weekend. I'm going Sunday and it would be a dream come true to see Kendrick wrap up a 4-game sweep.

[JTS]

So wait, fans in NYC exile, is there a Phils friendly bar in NYC? I've been down to the Town Tavern for a bunch of Eagles games, pretty good scene, but it's usually crowded as hell. Plus it's way down there, at least in relation to my place in Wash Heights.

[slappy]

I work in DC and one of my coworkers is a huge Muts fan. Even he hates Lo Duca. Guy just seems like a Grade-A d*ckhead.

[Bridoc10]

Sweet, Reed. We should do that.

Dan, wanna come?

[SirAlden]

“30 bullpen guys who changed teams over the offseason” - Clout

Clout could you please post, list, and rate from A to F the 30 bullpen guys who changed teams?

I would like to learn from you.

Thanks. SirAlden

Bay_Area_Phan – responded with these 11 MLB Free-Agents for Clout

David Weathers Resigned Reds
2006 ERA 3.32 WHIP 1.00
2 years/$5M
2007 VS. LEFT: .211 BA VS. RIGHT: .185 BA
Great Experienced guy, had been with Reds for 3 years, resigned.

Joe Borowski FA Marlins 2006 ERA 3.75 WHIP 1.38
1 year/$4.25M 2007 VS. LEFT: .305 BA VS. RIGHT: .316 BA
Terrible reliever. Just terrible. Over .300 BA against, injury concerns.

Chad Bradford FA Mets 2006 ERA 2.90 WHIP 1.16
3 year/$10.5M 2007 VS. LEFT: .355 BA VS. RIGHT: .275 BA
Great signing on paper, big money, Terrible this year, W 0 – L 4 so far.

Aaron Fultz FA Phillies 2006 ERA 4.54 WHIP 1.52
1 year/$1.65M 2007 VS. LEFT: .154 BA VS. RIGHT: .152 BA
The one that got away. Stunk big time last year. Matt Smith seemed better.

Octavio Dotel FA Yankees 2006 ERA 10.80 WHIP 2.90
2 year/$10.5M 2007 VS. LEFT: .240 BA VS. RIGHT: .250 BA
10.5 million for someone with a 10.80 ERA, and 2.90 WHIP? Pass.

Alan Embree FA Padres 2006 ERA 3.27 WHIP 1.24
2 years/$5.5M 2007 VS. LEFT: .283 BA VS. RIGHT: .263 BA
Not doing well in large park, 37 years old, was awful for Boston prior to 2006.

Eric Gagne FA Dodgers 2006 Pitched 2 innings, Herniated Disks
1 year/$6.00M 2007 VS. LEFT: .111 BA VS. RIGHT: .200 BA
Great Reliever, talk about injury issues, only human ever to have 2 Tommy John.

Steve Kline Resigned Giants 2006 ERA 3.66 WHIP 1.53
2 years/$3.5M 2007 VS. LEFT: .302 BA VS. RIGHT: .340 BA
Always liked this feisty lefty from Sunbury, PA. Best years behind him.

David Riske FA White Sox 2006 ERA 3.89 WHIP 1.29
1 year/$1.25M 2007 VS. LEFT: .208 BA VS. RIGHT: .273 BA
Average Guy, average career, average year.

Justin Speier FA Blue Jays
2006 ERA 2.98 WHIP 1.33
4 years/$18.0M 2007 VS. LEFT: .154 BA VS. RIGHT: .107 BA
16.0 innings pitched on DL 18M contract Walnut Creek, CA boy signed with LAAngels

Scott Williamson FA Padres 2006 ERA 7.36 WHIP 1.82
1 year/$0.90M 2007 VS. LEFT: .375 BA VS. RIGHT: .156 BA
13.2 innings pitched on DL.Trash. No thanks.

The continued inaccurate inference is that there were literally dozens of Good Free Agent relievers in the 2006 class and any GM could just go down the aisle at the Free Agent Reliever Store and fill the cart up. The constant whine is that GM Pat Gillick and the Phillies were too lazy or too cheap to sign these guys. Remember, most of these are re-tread relievers would have cost a 2007 first or second round draft pick. Let’s take a look as we go down the aisle. Here are 11.

David Weathers I would love to throw him in the cart, Phillies and the Red Sox tried, his family was settled and he resigned with the Reds. Borowski sucked last year and is worse this year, and has injury issues. Bradford big +10 million money, I would have chased him but not for more than what he signed for, he is having a bad year. Fultz, the one that got away. I would not have resigned him he did not help the Phillies last year he was terrible.

Dotel his Baseball Reference page is sponsored by the Oakland Committee to Impeach Octavio Dotel “Our stance is that Octavio Dotel is the worst closer of all time and a disgrace to the Green and Gold. September 23, 2004 - the day the 2004 season really ended for Oakland.” Look at his 2006 stats.

Embree 37 year old reliever who has been marginal for years. Eric Gagne 2 innings pitched for the Dodgers last year, arm issues, a record 2 Tommy John surgeries, and 2 herniated Disks. I would have signed him. Kline local PA boy who has been toast since his over use in 2004. Riske average guy, nothing to write home about.

Speier crown jewel set up guy who signed for 18 million with the LA Angels. Would have chased him even at that high amount. He is a Cali boy from Walnut Creek, CA. Like Randy Wolf he was not going to sign away from the left coast. Williamson no thanks.

To review, you are competing against all the other MLB teams for these 11 guys.
Who would you give up 1st and 2nd round draft picks for? I would have chased Weathers and Speier, I know the Phillies chased Weathers, and I am sure they called Speier’s agent to ask if he would sign on the east coast. Bradford maybe but not for over 10 million, and if we signed him, it would not have mattered, he is not doing well this year.

That leaves Gagne, arm issues, 2 Tommy Johns, 2 Herniated Disks, 2 innings pitched last year for 6 million dollars if he wanted to come East to the Cit. I would have gone for Gagne.

The point here is crystal clear. Pontifications aside, and “my mind’s made up don’t confuse me with the facts”, the 2006 Free Agent Reliever Class was woefully thin with no easy and good options.

[Bridoc10]

JTS, I don't think it's terribly "Phils friendly," but Blondies on 79th (off Amsterdam) has some great wings and lots of TVs.

[Tray]

I expect us to lose 3 out of 4, best case scenario we split.

[Alby]

Bridoc, I think it was on Philly.com, a notes column maybe about him not being ready until after the AS break. It had a quote, something about him feeling a tweak in his last bullpen session.

[JTS]

Love blondies. Actually was planning on heading there tonight with the GF. It's one of the only ways I can get her to watch sports. Promise of Blondies hot wings will do that.

[Bridoc10]

I read that, Alby. He said it was "tight" and felt "tired."

For some reason, those words sound a little less ominous to me than "tweak."

Hoping for the best with both Myers and Gordon.

[P O'Neil]

Eric Gagne has the Phillies on his list of teams NOT to be traded to. Call it a hunch, but I don't think he would have signed here.

Sinkerballer Bradford would've fit in at CBP. Is a lot of money, though.

[Bridoc10]

Blondies rocks.

One of my (gay) friends always asks me about sporting event schedules to help him plan his trips there.

Blondies appeals to all sorts of demographics!

[Reed]

Blondies waitresses/bar tenders are pretty easy on the eyes too, which always helps.

Bokenites, may have to wait a couple weeks...me and the Mrs. will be on vaca startin' at 5.

[Angus]

Yo reed and Bridoc,
I live in Queens/lions den and work in Manhattan. There is a bar called Prfessor Thom's on 14th and 2nd that has a diehard phils fan as the head bartender if your in the area. Check it out...It is a so called bosox bar but the real deal is behind the bar.

[Bridoc10]

No worries, Reed.

Going anywhere?

[Ben Keeler]

JV Lineup Game 1

Rollins
Bourn
Utley
Howard
Rowand
Dobbs
Helms
Barajasasas
Durbin

Really, Helms again?

[Reed]

Shore-bound.

I was hoping to see Coste in game one. Barajas should be relegated to emergency cather.

Seeing Helms against Belisle's curves last night does not bode well for him against El DoucheBag's deuce.

[AWH]

Reed,

The lineup against RHP should feature Coste at C (he hits RH better than LH) and Dobbs at 3B. Against LHP the lineup should be Chooch at C and Coste at 3B.

I agree, No-Bat Barajas should be relegated to emergency duty and PH responsibility after every other option has been utilized.

[Bridoc10]

I would think we'll see Chooch catching the 2nd game, with Honest Abe @ 3rd, and PtBB in left, with Vic in right.

Coste will ride the pine both games. Maybe PH at time or two.

[yt]

I went to a joint called Wogies for the Eagles Giants PO game this past year.

Totally a Philly bar, with some pretty good cheese steaks.

Greenwich Ave @ Charles (near 7th ave and w10th if your not good around the village, which I am still trying to figure out nearly 3 years into living in NYC).

Havn't been for the Phils, because I have MLB.tv and live in south Brooklyn.

[Tbex]

AWH - " agree, No-Bat Barajas should be relegated to emergency duty and PH responsibility after every other option has been utilized. "

This includes Cole Hamels and Adam Eaton right? I feel more confident of something good happening when Cole hits than the incredible BARAJAS!

[Tbex]

AWH - " agree, No-Bat Barajas should be relegated to emergency duty and PH responsibility after every other option has been utilized. "

This includes Cole Hamels and Adam Eaton right? I feel more confident of something good happening when Cole hits than the incredible BARAJAS!

[joe]

honestly, i want to see coste catchnig hamels tonight.

[Phil]

re the Bullpen: Agree completely with the idea that you don't want to survey the free agent class for relievers if you can avoid it, especially if you're working within a clearly defined budget, as the Phillies are. You’re usually just paying for mediocrity. I also agree that the Phils didn't have 30--or even 10--real options.

But even so, this doesn’t exactly acquit Gillick for the state of the pen. It was pretty apparent as early as last September that the bullpen needed serious attention. Gordon was pretty diminished in the second half of 06 and Phillies’ management knew he was experiencing shoulder discomfort long before he went on the DL after the Reds series in August. And once Gordon was injured, it was clear that the pen was stretched thin. The Phillies recognized the problem, but did very little to help it.

Bottom line, I think is that if you’re not going to sign a free agent, you have two options. 1) Find treasure from within the organization or from other people’s trash. They really had no one in the organization ready to help. And while Alfonseca was a good find, execution otherwise was lacking and the planning was suspect. For every useful guy you find, you’re going to have a few Jim Ed Wardens and Alfredo Simons. So if you’re going to pursue this strategy seriously, you need to sign more than the Phillies did. 2) Or you can trade or sign a free agent. Borowski hardly sucked last year, as Bay Area asserted, and actually hasn’t been nearly as bad this year as his ERA indicates. And the team very easily could have put insurance language in Borowski’s contract after his MRI came back, a la the Tigers did with Magglio Ordonez’s knee.

Gillick badly mismanaged the construction of the bullpen and its had a cascade effect on the team.

[Dan]

Philadelphia Phillies: Wogies. One reader suggests Wogies for Phillies games and says they have a halfway decent cheesesteak (complete with Cheese Whiz!). It's a favorite spot for a large number of Philly transplants.

found this....yeah i hit up the smashery but no longer get them smashed..iced coffee is my move...and i know the girl youre talking about! funny cause i hadnt seen her for a while..in there last weekend looks like she got a boob job and a tan! she finds me amusing cause i always go in there at around 1230 looking disheveled with no cash in my wallet

at least tomorrows game is on fox so we wont have to hear gary/keith/ron (whos the only one i can tolerate)

[JB]

Here is an off-the-wall thought.

Let the starters go an inning or two longer, they are better than the BP help we have coming in to pitch after them.

They can build up some confidence, stamina and arm strength for later in the season plus most of these guys are not going to be around longer than 3-5 years anyway (hopefully Hamels being the exception) so who cares about ruining their arms as they get hurt regardless it appears.

Get rid of one pitcher and keep Coste up full time. Keeping Moyer, Eaton, Kendrick, or Hamels in an inning or two longer and getting rid of Condrey, Mesa, or whoever makes alot of sense to me.

With no lead safe and our depth relegated to position "specialists" an extra bat is worth more than a sub-par pitcher.

I wonder what Victorino could do on the mound, maybe he could be an emergency arm if needed.

[Dan]

can we get a weather update??? i know rain is in the forecast but this one will start on time, right?

[jeremy]

You're Pat Gillick, general manager of the Phillies. You have a bullpen full of AA and AAA call-ups, geriatric washed-up old closers, and general scrubiness. A bunch of your starting pitchers are injured too, and you need to call up a starter from AAA and demote a reliever from the bullpen. Your options:

Option A
19.1 IP/8.84 ERA
4 HR/11 K/9 BB

Option B
17.0 IP/7.94 ERA
2 HR/11 K/8 BB

Option C
5.1 IP/3.38 ERA
1 HR/2 K/3 BB
(5.91 ERA in 21.1 IP last year)

Option D
14.1 IP/5.09 ERA
2 HR/13 K/1 BB
(2.84 ERA over 79 IP last two years in AA/AAA with 85 K/34 BB)

Gillick goes with option D, Yoel Hernandez.
Option A - Mesa
Option B - Condrey
Option C - Sanches

WHY WHY WHY WHY Why Why why why why why why why WHY WHY?

How can Joe fucking Table, who has clearly been terrible for 3 years (yes, his ERA wasn't bad last year but his FIP was very high) have wormed his way not only into our bullpen but actually somewhat high on the depth chart? Why is he getting a chance over a pitcher who has been very good for the last two years in the minors and pitched great in the 14 innings he's pitched here?

And why keep Condrey over Hernandez? This may be an options issue, but still...

[joe]

i'm willing to be that yoel has more options than any of the other guys.

except sanches.

[Dan]

anyone wanna bet me $1 that reyes leads off the game with a triple? sorry, i have zero confidence in a guy with a posted ERA of 94.50

[Mike H.]

Looks like the main band of rain is already in New Jersey. Might be a stray shower here and there. Looks like it's raining in Boyertown, but then again, it always does...

[Mike H.]

Out on three strikes. You can pay me in hot dogs on dollar dog night. (Don't I wish...)

[ajc1]

Two batters and JD's ERA is cut in half

[Sophist]

Durbin is going to strike out the side.

One of Sarge's keys of the game is "not in our house."

[Brendan]

Wait- why is Durbin's ERA so high?

[Dan]

wow...a 1-2-3 inning on 3Ks????...im speechless...you got a deal, mike...think im headin to a game in late july...last game i was at got a foul ball off the bat of marcus thames.

[gr]

wow, bizarro world for sure.

[joe]

i can imagine the pregame coaching talk to durbin:

1) put the effing ball over the plate
2) see point 1

[Dan]

giving up 7 runs in .2 innings in your only appearance of the season will do that

[clout]

Is there a bigger idiot on Beerleaguer than SirAlden? I think not. I am NOT doing your homework for you. There WERE 30 or so relievers who changed teams or were free agents in the offseason. Not just the 11 that BAP listed. Go back and look at the transactions if you want to compile a list.

Also, the debate on Utley swinging 3-0 wasn't about whether he should be green lighted. We can all agree on that. It was about WHEN (i.e. a pitcher is walking the bappark and can't throw a strike) he should take a 3-0 pitch. Obviously the situation last night was a case where he absolutely should swing. The last time was far from obvious and you could make a case both ways.

I can't help you, but you really could learn from someone. Reading Phil's post would be a start.

[Mike Cunningham]

Franzke's call to end the inning was real nice.

I wasn't a fan when he started... he's grown on me... I think he'll be a fave if he sticks around.

[JTS]

Duque trying to lube it up? Gotta love Cholly's eagle-eyes. Apparently this is all payback for Randolph screwing with Garcia.

[Mike Cunningham]

Tell me Manuel doesn't remember when Freddy Garcia had the two-toned glove in the first Mets Series...

[Alby]

That half-inning shows how much that we attribute to a pitcher's "control" is actually umpiring. Both those called third strikes were high. So was that first strike on Rollins. A lot of pitches that were called balls on Eaton yesterday were a heckuva lot closer than those.

[Your Conscience]

YT:

Where in South Brooklyn do you live? I live in Carroll Gardens on Degraw Street between SMith and Hoyt. I have yet to find a Phillies bar where I can watch a game but I can tell you there is usually a large contingent of Iggles fans at a place called Angry Wades on Smith Street. I refuse to go to Greenwich Village until someone can explain to me how West 4th Street can cross West 12th Street. May have to try that place on 2nd Avenue if I ever find myself in the nieghborhood.

[Dan]

what site do the people who follow on the web use??? yahoo is the most efficient, but aesthetically leaves much to be desired....cbssportsline gamecast is good but can jam up your comp

what happened?? good time charlie called out el duque?

[ajc1]

Dan - I like MLB's gamecast

[joe]

i like cholly's callin' out el duque.

this is gonna be a fun series, i can almost guarantee cholly getting tossed once, and a near-brawl.

[JTS]

I don't use gamecasts much, becuase I've had trouble with them crashing my old machine and I ponied up for Extra Innings. My roommate signed up for MLBAudiocast on MLB.com and it's pretty solid. You can get the 1210 crew for every game.

[Bridoc10]

Man, Howard has been in a funk lately.

HE either knocks the cover off the ball, or strikes out.

What up with that?

[Dan]

yeah my yankees fan roommate nixed my idea of getting the package...im generally reduced to updates from my dad and ESPNnews bottom line

what is with howard striking out so much??? his yahoo pic is terrible, btw

[Mike]

Anyone know of any place online to stream the audio of the game?

1210, for whatever reason, is streaming Limbaugh.

WFAN in NY is also streaming talk.

[Mike Cunningham]

I hate hearing all those mets fans cheering...

I'm so glad I'm not at any game until Sunday...

[J. Weitzel]

Howard was no match for El Duque's deception there.

[bay_area_phan]

MLB Gamecast is definitely the most informative and easiest to follow, but it has been very buggy this year.

[GM-Carson]

way too may f'n mets fans in attendance...dammit i hate NY!

[hititonthegroundjroll]

on mlb.tv it sounds like the crowd is about 80% mets fans...

[GM-Carson]

so much for that awesome start by J.D....things have started looking bad in a hurry.

[Dan]

ughhhh...i steered clear of shea last time and of course, we swept...im 0-2 in phils games there since moving here..last year i was at that 17 inning affair when madson gave up the bomb to beltran...this year i went to the j roll 2 HR game off glavine.

[JTS]

That was fun while it lasted...

[ajc1]

My hopes for JD is that he ends the day with his ERA under 30

[Brendan]

DING!

[Bridoc10]

ROWAND!!!

That's one back.

[Tray]

Maybe we can't afford to trade Rowand.

[Dan]

do the phils lead the league in solo homeruns???? seems like it....we'll take it though...delgado has been horseshit all season...most people here in NY think hes finished...hopefully he doesnt turn it around this series

[Dan]

wes helms is a disgrace...did anyone think this guy would actually be good??? one good season parlayed into a big contract = shitty season...he does look john c. reilly, the actor, ill give him that

[ajc1]

having Black Hole flashbacks here with Helms/Barajas/pitcher lineup

[JTS]

Delgado is really bizarre to me. He was a force for a couple of years there, and then all of a sudden he looks like a homeless man's Frank Thomas. I'm probably polluted by the NY tabloids, but I feel like he's done. Of course, even an over the hill slugger will punish you a couple times a year with big homeruns. I mean, if PtBB can do it, who can't?

[hititonthegroundjroll]

does reyes hit home runs against any other team??

[curt]

My hope for JD is that he goes 5 full, even if the ERA is still 90.00

[stjoehawk]

"do the phils lead the league in solo homeruns????"

No. Going into today, they're in third place in the NL for solo home runs, 14 behind the Brewers and 15 behind the Reds.

Those teams (Reds, Brewers & Phillies) are also the top 3 for home runs with runners on base as well.

[joe]

ugh. gona be a long day for the kid.

maybe cholly just hangs him out to dry, and sves the pen for the rest of the weekend.

[yt]

Your Conscience,

I live all the way downin Bay Ridge, I see the Verazanno Bridge from my window. Nothing Philly related down here, all imigrants and native NYers here.

Dan, I was also at the extra inning game the Madsen pitched like 7 scorless in, I tayed till the end of that, This season went to the extra inning affair, and left after 10 before Chase's homer. Talk about being jinxed huh?

[Dan]

thanks hawk....

god, i hate jose reyes....he is def a little light in the loafers if ya know what i mean

[hititonthegroundjroll]

hahahaha

[Bridoc10]

Hope the kids settles down a bit.

At least the homers went to a deep part of the park. Not CBP specials just over the petunias.

[Brendan]

Bourn's pic on Gameday is hilarious. He looks drunk.

[Bridoc10]

Is this the inning Durbin's ERA goes under 20.00?

[Dan]

i dont understand the intentional walk of ricky ledee....having el duque lead off an inning is crucial

[CJ]

When will we teach Barajas to catch?

[Mike H.]

Did Barajas drop the ball? I guess he has to choose between blocking the plate or holding onto the ball.

[RSB]

Phil, great post to counter the usual idiocy from SirAlden. Speaking of whom - did you happen to *notice* where the two 3-0 pitches were that Utley clobbered for homers? Strikes on the inner half of the plate. Yeah - that's when you swing 3-0, not on a breaking ball six inches off the outside corner.

One thing the Phillies appear to have on their side in their latest underdog crusade is confidence. They're playing much, much better at home in May and June and feeding off the home crowds for once; moreover, they've been doing what it takes to win close ballgames in spite of their severe bullpen handicap. One reason why this year is staring to feel different from the past couple is because the Phillies took forever to get close in those years. It seems like they have a head start now, and they're playing with more urgency, as if every game and series is important. Now, it so happens that their chief competition, the Mets, are one of the cockiest teams in the majors, so this element is hardly going to give them some sort of edge over them. But it does give me a sense that they will find a way to hang close the rest of the way, and it might be fun to watch.

Meanwhile, Durbin is living up to his reputation here. No surprise. Hopefully the Phils can solve Hernandez before the game gets out of control.

[JTS]

Oh sweet, Dubee's going to talk to the kid. Now I feel better...

I'd say make him pitch seven. We can't afford to be working our bullpen on a game we're going to lose anyway.

[CJ]

It wasn't a great throw from Dobbs... two-hopper... but good catchers can handle that and make the tag.

Barajas has proven time and again an inability to handle plays at the plate.