Game chat: Hamels, Phillies try to finish off Mets

Coming off a complete-game gem against the Giants, left-hander Cole Hamels (8-2, 3.55 ERA) and the Phillies look to cap a three-game sweep of the Mets in New York. The Mets counter with John Maine (6-3, 2.81 ERA).

Preview: With his last victory, Hamels rose to the league lead in wins with eight of them. Pat Burrell drops to sixth in the lineup, with Aaron Rowand protecting Ryan Howard in the five-hole.

Draft update (Round 1): The Phillies selected Rice left-hander Joe Savery with their first pick in today's draft, the 19th pick overall. Savery was projected to fall between 15-25 and would have been a higher choice had he not undergone shoulder surgery. At 6-3, 215, he's drawn comparisons to Mark Mulder. The Phillies have compared him to Randy Wolf.

Savery, 21, is 10-1 with a 2.78 ERA and a .239 opponents' batting average in 17 starts for Rice this season. At the plate, he is hitting .360 with 18 doubles, four home runs and 54 RBI in 250 at-bats.

Draft update (Round 2): With their next choice, the 37th overall selection, the Phillies selected catcher Travis D'Arnaud out of Lakewood High School. D'Arnaud, 18, was touted by Baseball America as the second-best defensive high school player in the country. He hit .413, leading his team in both home runs (7) and RBI (52) in 33 games this past spring.

Draft update (Round 3): With their third pick, 83rd overall, the Phillies selected third baseman Travis Mattair from Southridge High School. From a scouting report supplied from a reader source: "Mattair is a big, athletic infielder who most likely will see his future at third. He can hit and will hit for power with a swing that should be well suited for wood bats. He's got a strong arm and soft hands and plus, plus makeup."

Comments

[Ben Keeler]

HAMELS! SWEEP!

[attytood will]

Remember the Maine?

It's gonna be a long night.

[curt]

Game #60. Try Rowand at #5.
Why rush into things.

[joe l]

Well, it takes Cholly a while to figure things out.

[curt]

Yeah. I remember when this Maine dude came out of nowhere and put it to us repeatedly last summer. He must feel like he owns this team by now.

[Tray]

Just on an "I told you so" note, I remember a couple months ago I said I'd rather have the Mets pitching staff than ours, even with the holes in their starting rotation. Two months later they have a 3.36 ERA and we're at 4.87. As for tonight, we do struggle against Maine but he issues his fair share of walks, 4.2/9 innings, and we're a team that walks a lot, so if they would just take advantage of some of these first pitch balls, we could score a few runs.

[AWH]

Maine was 3-0, 2.35 ERA against the Phils coming into tonight's game. Very tough against the Phils.

[MG]

Is it me or does anyone else wonder why Burrell started against Maine tonight? I would have why had Werth get the start in LF instead.

[AWH]

Nice piece of hitting by Howard - great patience!

[attytood will]

If Burrell had been batting 5th there, there's no way they pitch to Howard right there. But with Rowand, they didn't want him hitting with two men on.

Yup, this should have happened A LOT sooner.

[curt]

So who is available out of our pen tonight?

[curt]

attywood - correct.

Met announcers were speculating that the A's might take PtB if we eat alot of salary.

I actually felt sorry for the guy last night after he struck out & again when Jimmy picked him up.

[mark goldentyer]

I wish some of y'all would give Nunez a bit more respect. He has been a respectable player off the bench-yet most of you call him totally useless. In tonight's game he contributed nicely yet again.

[joe l]

Anyone notice that jabba-the-hut Mets fan bellowing at Pat while he walked back to the dugout last night?

[ZT]

....c'mon!

[Malcolm]

Back to back to back? Ugh.

[Casey]

...to back.

[slackerjoe]

Oh well, we lost this game.

2 out of 3 ain't bad.

[Casey]

Oops - I only read two "backs" there. Three backs in total. Ugh is right.

[Stubborn & Blind]

loduca needs to be dropped by the next pitch he sees from a phillies pitcher for showing up hamels.

and nunez is useless.

[slackerjoe]

With only 7 outs left in the game, how can Manuel just give one away by letting Hamels hit (with a man on base no less)?!?!

It's not like Hamels has just given up 3 straight homers or anything...

[curt]

Cholly's fear of his BP trumps any other consideration.

[Mike Cunningham]

@slackerjoe because Hamels is a better 7,8,9 guy then anything that's available tonight.

Geary, Madson, Alfonseca won't go tonight.

[slackerjoe]

And the Mets pinch hit for Maine even though he's pitching with the lead and could have sacrificed the runner the second.

I'm confused. Oh right, now I remember! It's called good managing!

[slackerjoe]

If Geary, Alfonseca, and Madson are not available (are they really "not available"?), then you go with your next best option. We do carry 6 relievers, don't we? The most important thing is getting the lead back.

[bay_area_phan]

Slacker, This issue stirred a big debate a week or so ago when Cholly did the same thing with Garcia. I thought he should have pinch hit then, in large part because Garcia wasn't pitching well. Kind of a different situation today because they're only 1 run behind, they've got their ace on the mound and, with Madson, Geary & Alfonseca having all pitched 2 days in a row, there's absolutely no one in the bullpen who is even the slightest bit trustworthy. Besides, it's not like having a man on first with two outs presents a golden scoring opportunity.

[curt]

Not that it matter to Cholly, but our bench has pretty much returned to being awful. Hamels probably had as much of a chance to hit it hard as anyone.

[bay_area_phan]

Strongly disagree, Slacker. There's a guy on first with two outs. Even if you pinch hit, what are the odds you're going to get that guy home? Slim and none.

It's a one-run deficit. One swing of the bat & the game is tied again. But a run won't do any good if the bullpen comes in & allows 5 Mets runs -- which is exactly what might happen if we let Zagurski or Condrey or Yoel into this game.

[Mike Cunningham]

@slackerjoe the CATCHER was on First Base. There were 2 outs.

If there was a runner in scoring position maybe. Perhaps if I was down two... I might do it (homer ties).

But I have zero problem letting the best pitcher in the NL pitch another inning and let the top of the order come out in the 8th.

[attytood will]

They probably took out Maine to bring in a lefty to pitch to Rollins, Victorino Utley and Howard (if necessary). That makes sense, just like it makes sense to keep in Hamels there rather than make it Yoel Time (soon to be Jose Mesa Time again).

[Joe P]

Chris Wheeler definitely has a poster of Jose Reyes in his bedroom that he beats it to every night.

[slackerjoe]

I see the points people are making, but I just disagree. Getting the lead back (not just tying the game) is the top priority.

Because Hamels got through the 7th, I really do hope it works out and we can celebrate a come from behind victory.

Just not feeling real confident right now.

[Ben Keeler]

How about a Wagner blown save like against the Astros in Sep. 05? A fan can dream...though not the promising part of the lineup in the 9th.

[curt]

First time this year they've brought Wagner in in the 8th, for what that's worth.

[slackerjoe]

Yoel!

[bay_area_phan]

With the guys we've got coming up in the 9th, this game is hopeless. But that was a nice performance by Yoel against the heart of the Mets' lineup.

[Ben Keeler]

i'm buying a burrell authentic jersey if he goes deep off wagner

[attytood will]

So basically, if we had put in Yoel to face those same three batters in the 6th, we would have won.

[slackerjoe]

W
O
W

[bay_area_phan]

Holy cow!

[Mike Cunningham]

Now there's an argument against batting Burrell 5th.

[AWH]

Pat has to feel excellent to do that against Billy Wagner.

[Ben Keeler]

hahaha im out $219. YEAH

[joe l]

GSAHAHHAHAHA.. chokes on drink.. HAHA.. couldn't happen to a nicer closer!

[attytood will]

Trade him to Oakland RIGHT THIS MINUTE!

[phillybacker]

Zagurski or Yoel would have been fine to go with in the 7th, Condrey not so much.

[Terry]

Pat the bat is alive in NY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RSB]

Pat the Bat gets 'the rat'. Feels awesome to have Wagner blow a save to the Phils. Burrell will probably watch that replay the rest of his life.

[attytood will]

Did I mention I can't stand Billy Wagner...that was awesome.

[Mike Cunningham]

I meant.. .6th...

[AWH]

Keeler, I missed your post. Get out your wallet.

[curt]

Way to step up PtB...first blown save for Wags

[Mike]

Let's get another one here. The bullpen is gutted if it goes extra.

[bay_area_phan]

Given how Yoel looked last inning, Cholly's looking pretty silly for not making a double switch with Bourn replacing Rowand in CF.

[slackerjoe]

How about a Wes Helms PH HR now to seal the deal?

I'd buy a Charlie Manuel authentic jersey if that happened.

[Ben Keeler]

who pitches the 9th now?

[AWH]

What will we do if Helms goes yard right now for his first HR of the year?

[Ben Keeler]

i think your safe on buying a jersey for a helms HR

[Mike]

Something weird is going to have to happen for them to get this one.

[RSB]

Phils are still going to have a tough time pulling this one out with the bullpen the way it is. I'd say that no matter what, they've played a hell of a good series against the Metsies.

[bay_area_phan]

The odds of a Wes Helms homerun are about equivalent to the odds of Richard Simmons winning the 2007 World Lumberjack Championship.

[Ben Keeler]

I agree...it would take something phenomenial for us to score again and see the bullpen hold it....i cant believe Zagurski is coming in, what Condrey is unavailable?

[clout]

Bringing in Alfonseca for a third straight game to pitch the 9th in a tie on the road is like wearing mittens while trying to defuse an unexploded bomb.

[Terry]

I predict the Phils win it in 13 innings on a Ryan Howard bomb right through the NYC apple

[slackerjoe]

That was very sweet to have Wagner blow the save, whatever the outcome of this game.

It's nice to Burrell come up with a huge clutch hit too.

The Phillies could take a lot of positives from this game even if they lose. If they win this one, this could be a season-changing game (for both teams).

[clout]

Which is why Zagurski makes sense.

[bay_area_phan]

Condrey's ERA is over 11.00 & he gets bombed almost every time out.

[bay_area_phan]

The bullpen melt-downs always seem to start with two-out walks

[slackerjoe]

Madson only thre 6 pitches last night, so he should be good for an inning.

[slackerjoe]

Madson only threw 6 pitches last night, so he should be good for an inning.

[RSB]

Zagurski is getting squeezed in this inning. I'm impressed, though, by the way he's come in and calmly gotten the first two outs. He might just be a keeper.

[Ben Keeler]

the strike zone (or lack thereof) for the mets has been absurd

[attytood will]

Bronco!

[curt]

Extremely fortunate to catch the Mets with Ben Johnson hitting #2.

[Mike]

What does Zagurski even throw? Every pitch looks basically the same to me. He looks pretty hittable. Glad to see he got out of the jam here though. I like the composure.

[RSB]

Wow. Color me officially impressed with Zagurski. He has guts in more than one sense of the word.

It would be Amazin' if the Phils could pull off a sweep here. A Miracle.

[J. Weitzel]

It wasn't pretty, but I'll take it over strikezone-impared Castro and Smith.

Still impressed with Burrell's old-school Shea home run.

[Mike]

Make this guy throw strikes!

[slackerjoe]

Nice job by Zags there.

With the injury to Endy Chavez, the Mets only have 2 bench players left (Phils have got 4).

The problem is in the bullpen.

Which one of the starters could go for a few innings? Lieber? Garcia?

[RSB]

Zagurski is slider/92-94 MPH fastball. He locates well and is around the plate. No one in that inning had a good swing at him.

[AWH]

Zagurski - impressive...didn't back down or give in. And, yes, he did get squeezed.

[Malcolm]

Burrell had to hit that homer.

[JB]

Zagurski needs to get a cheesesteak endorsement.

[blessing]

Atlanta loses again. Let's get this one.

[Malcolm]

Huge ABs for the middle of the order here.

[attytood will]

Cut to the Chase!

[enrico]

Wow, Pat! Chase! Could this be a season changer? Wow.

[RSB]

Hot damn!!!!! I'm not used to the Phillies coming up big like this...

[Jon]

Chase Utley! You gotta love the guy!

[Malcolm]

Ho yes! Yes! Yes!

[Mike]

More please.

[slackerjoe]

Let's get greedy here. We need more runs!

[Ben Keeler]

hell yeah...lets tack another one on

[Malcolm]

Who's warming up?

[joe l]

Go for the jugular!!

[BloodStripes]

C'mon Phillies lets go. A couple more!

[curt]

With Rowand's RBI here, everyone has hit.

[Jon]

Alfonseca was warming up earlier in the game. I imagine he will be the first one (and hopefully only one) out there for the bottom of the 10th.

[attytood will]

This looks like the team to beat in the National League East...finally.

[Jon]

Yes, pile it on!! Nice job in the 5 hole tonight by Rowand! And Utley is the man not only at the plate, but on the bases as well!