Game chat: Phillies, Kendrick, open set in St. Louis

The Phillies try to build on their weekend sweep when they open up a three-game series in St. Louis, beginning tonight at 8:10 p.m. from Busch Stadium. The Phillies trail the Padres by 1 1-2 games in the NL Wild Card.

Preview: Ice ages envelop the earth in the time it takes these one-time division foes to meet during the regular season. Or so it seems. The Phillies took two-of-three from the Cards June 22-24. For some reason, my most vivid recollection of these teams meeting is at the beginning of the ’05 season in St. Louis, when Gavin Floyd retired 19-straight batters and lasted seven innings for the win, then the Phils blew up Chris Carpenter in the Sunday afternoon rubber match, taking the series 2-1. Kyle Kendrick (8-4, 4.02 ERA) did his best Gavin Floyd impression the last time he faced St. Louis, allowing one run over seven innings for the win. The 23-year-old right-hander was knocked from his last start after taking a line smash off his knee. He’s been given the green light; this will be his 18th start for the Phils. He’s opposed by right-hander Brad Thompson (6-5, 5.05 ERA).

Lineups: For Tony LaRussa's Cardinals, Thompson will bat 8th ahead of shortstop Brendan Ryan. Kelly Stinnett and Scott Spiezio also round out a very, very ugly lineup card for the home team. For the Phils, Greg Dobbs, Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz get the call.

Notes: According to Phillies.com, manager Charlie Manuel says Adam Eaton's spot in the rotation is secure. J.D. Durbin, however, has shifted to the bullpen with Cole Hamels’ anticipated return.

Comments

[CJ]

Jason: I thought the lineup was unusual, as well, but then I discovered LaRussa has moved up his pitcher to 8th for 43 straight games now.

[J. Weitzel]

I saw that in the previous thread, and thus, deleted the mention of "unusual."

That great baseball wizard LaRussa continues to rewrite the rules of baseball. Genius.

[Andy]

"Charlie Manuel says Adam Eaton's spot in the rotation is secure."

clout must be ecstatic.

[Ben Keeler]

between Eaton and Durbin, im not sure it really matters...they are both awful and you know your bullpen better be ready and you need 10 runs.

It is pathetic that either one of them are even considered to be a starter with 13 games left and the Phillies fighting with everything they have to make the playoffs.

[RSB]

Some of us don't seem to be crystal clear on this, so let me reiterate it as plainly as possible:

Manuel is back, positively 100%, regardless of whether or not they make the playoffs. Please get it through your heads.

[parker]

Oh well I was going to suggest a first inning of silence as a show of unity within Beerleaguer but I realized that I posted it on the last post. Oh well, it was too supersticious anyway.

Jason: I agree with those that say that Holliday has no chance at MVP. That being said, I don't think Wright should have any chance.

[from the district]

i think rsb should change his tagline to miss cleo.

or pre menstrual miss cleo.

[mike nutter]

let me be the one to say it, screw the eagles. this is the important game tonight!
hmm batting the pitcher 8th. does it help? i don't know one way to look at it is the lineup turns over quicker. another way to look at it is the pitcher gets more at bats. but late in the game that spot is a pinch hitter anyway. i think it is a little silly, but in the end inconsequential.

[The Other Kevin]

So, uh, does anyone else think Brad Thompson looks kind of like a girl? An ugly girl, to be sure, but a girl nonetheless...

It's kinda weirding me out.

[Andy]

I sure hope we're not entering another post-Mutts let down. Not a good time.

[Brian G]

I hate this CF camera.

And from the last thread..
"No Eckstein in the lineup is a HUGE break...

Posted by: Mike H. | Monday, September 17, 2007 at 06:59 PM "
Not to pick on Mike H., I understand Eckstein may be hot right now, but c'mon, missing a slap hitter like Eckstein is never that big a deal.

[Brian G]

Nats on the verge of taking the lead over the Mets.

[from the district]

agreed this camera angle blows, you can't see anything.

[parker]

Who said sit Howard? You never sit Howard unless you tired.

[Bridoc10]

Ryan's going opposite field again!

Usually a good sign!!!

[BloodStripes]

Welcome home big man. Get it going Phils.

[attytood will]

Nice start here, especially Kendrick.

Maybe our new motto should be "Kendrick and Hamels and smoke a lot of Camels."

Either that or,

"Kyle and Cole and a three-day black hole."

[BloodStripes]

LOL!

I like the second one but Lohse has been alright.

[parker]

Oops, unless "he" is tired, sorry I was on the phone.

[parker]

I guess everyone is watching the Eagles game. I wonder how long that will last?

[parker]

Nats up, man what a break for the Cards. Utley nailed that ball. In fact he hit it too hard. Man he can't do anything right.

[Tray]

Well, in his gameday picture Thompson sort of looks like a kewpie doll or a wax figurine, if that's what you mean, TOK. The Mets seem to be losing - if that continued would we have a division shot? 2.5's not absolutely insurmountable.

[BloodStripes]

After 5. Nats 5 - Mets 4

[Your Conscience]

I'd rather listen to Harry any day of the week...let alone with two weeks left and the boys playing well with a shot at the postseason. Why would I want to watch Portis rush for 130 yards?

[BloodStripes]

Kendrick doing a good job so far. C'mon Phils!

[Andy]

What's an eagle?

[parker]

Andy, I don't know, but some wahoo was one here chanting something like that the other day. Maybe he was referring to the Nationals mascot.

[parker]

A Row job!

[davthom73]

Two shots under par, Andy.

[Your Conscience]

ROWAND!!

[BloodStripes]

Thankyou Mr Rowand. Yeah!

[attytood will]

An A-bomb from A-Row!

[parker]

And Nats got out of 2 on 1 out jam. Nice.

[mike nutter]

good start here and good work by the nats! the phis can still take this division.

[parker]

Mets, cough, cough. Uhum, Muts.

[Mike H.]

Eckstein was hitting 7-9 in his last few games. With numbers like that, even Jayson Werth looks dangerous.

But hey.... I was wrong about Howard, too...

[parker]

Did Reyes get traded to the Cards?

[Andy]

Incidently, this is not me pitching.

[parker]

J-ROLLLL!!!!!!!

[parker]

6-0

[Andy]

So far an enjoyable road trip.

[parker]

7-4 Nats with two errors by Muts!

[Your Conscience]

MVP!!!

[Brian G]

MVP!!!

[BloodStripes]

Beautiful swing J-Roll. Rockin' it now Phillies.

The Cardinals announcers were talking about Jimmy's power his whole AB and whammo he smacks one yard.

[RSB]

kdon, your take on easily handling the Cardinals is looking better. Then again, so is mine on Rollins for MVP.

[Tray]

I'm not exactly sure why he pulled Thompson, he hadn't been so ineffective. Frank Thomas has homered three times off the Red Sox tonight.

[parker]

Utley almost took one out there. Kendrick has to keep them off the board.

[The Other Kevin]

Man, Chase was robbed! Great catch by Edmonds.

[The Theory]

God, Utley sucks.

(not really... but that was a nice catch by Edmunds.)

[mike nutter]

the mets might be seriously self destructing down the stretch. the manner in which they are losing could seriously demoralize them and their selfish make up doesn't lend itself to pulling through adversity well. could the '07 mets be a colapse worth of the history books?

[from the district]

anybody who was doubting the phils coming into this game forgot one essential ingrediant in a Phillies September . . . they actually have to have a lead in either the wild card or the division before they choke. So until we get that lead, i'm bettin on our boys

[Andy]

parker, I hope you didn't just jinx him.

[BloodStripes]

Mets are playing scared. Phils are fully in their heads. Got 'em looking over their shoulder now.

[The Other Kevin]

The Mets still have a very big lead with only 13 left to play; let's worry about catching them before writing their epitath.

[parker]

It would just be nice to see as much of Mesa and as little of Myers/Romero/Gordon/Geary, this entire series. I'll let everyone figure out the implication there.

[from the district]

oh my god the mets are playing so poorly right now

[from the district]

that play to let in run number eight is as fundamentally unsound as anything they pulled this weekend

[parker]

8-4 nats.

[Andy]

If Ankiel was a Phil, Gillick would insist on his still being a pitcher.

[BloodStripes]

could the '07 mets be a colapse worth of the history books?

mike nutter my man that would be awesome?

[The Other Kevin]

8-4 Nats top 6, 2 on, 1 out.

[parker]

Andy, the way he has been hitting since the HGH scandal, might not be a bad idea.

[attytood will]

The Phillies are also up two field goals on the Eagles -- I know the Phillies supposedly only have a 29 percent chance at the wild card but the Eagles look like about a 9 percent chance right now.

[Tray]

A little-known fact in the Ankiel saga is that he went back to the minors and pitched successfully before injuring his arm. At that point they decided to convert him.

[parker]

Bases loaded for Nats, 1 out. 8-4 nats. Jorge Sosa pitching Where is Jose, Jose, Jose???

[Andy]

parker - let's not bring common sense in; I was just doin a little extra-curricular Patty G. griping.

[BloodStripes]

Nats still going with one out and bases loaded.

[Andy]

on the Met game - with one out in the sixth, the Mets RELIEVERS have thrown 60 pitches.

[parker]

Man, these swings from Howard look goooood. If he starts hitting it the other way, look out. Things could get real nasty, especially if Rowand starts hitting well.

[The Theory]

I really hope both the Mets and Phils make the post season. I'd love to meet them head-to-head again.

[The Other Kevin]

9-4 -- Mets couldn't turn the DP.

[Andy]

I wonder how much of a lift it is for the Phils hitters to know they have Kendrick and Hamels starting the next two days. It's gotta be relazing and encouraging.

[The Other Kevin]

Mets out of the inning, but they're really playing some bad baseball.

[Andy]

Dobbs. LHP. Good sign, right?

[parker]

Come on Bucco's.

[Andy]

We are not Werthy. But we're happy.

[Andy]

Isn't there some kind of fundamental rule about making the third out at third base? Hmmmmm....

@ parker: "Come on Bucco's."
Check out the game logs of tonight's Pirate starting pitcher. The Bucs may take 1 or 2 from the Pods, but it ain't happenin tonight.

[parker]

With the Padre's offense, I'm not concerned.

[Andy]

but parker: they have Milton "The Raison D'etre for chin music" Bradley!?!?

[parker]

Regardless of Tray's assertions about the Padres having a good offense, and their anemic stats being all the product of their ballpark, it is just not a good offensive team. I bet they do not score 4 runs tonight even against Benschoten, or whatever his name is.

[Andy]

Did Stinnett just double his average?

[parker]

And Milton "Plastic Pieces" Bradley is a joke, and not a factor. Just like I thought he would be.

[Murgatroid]

The Padres don't exactly have Peavy out there tonight either though.

[Andy]

parker - that's not fair; you actually spelled his name right the first time.

Actually, the numbers on their park are astounding. The average OPS+ for batters in their home field is 74.

To use the coinage of the leftfielder named after a board game company, their field is a joke.

[parker]

Yeah, aren't they starting the brother of the Patriots backup QB?

[Andy]

Okay, you topped me while I was typing. I definitely like "plastic pieces."

[Murgatroid]

Kendrick is awesome.

[Andy]

I'm not sticking with the Pods tonight. I just think that I wouldn't want to go against a play-off contending team with Eaton, Durbin or Van Benschoten as my starter.

[Tray]

What a foolish bet, parker, given that they score over 4 runs a game on average and they are facing a decidedly below-average pitcher. Also given that they scored 5 the day Cain started and 6 the game Lincecum pitched. And like I said, they score the 12th most runs on the road in the major leagues so they can't be so bad offensively.

[parker]

I know Andy, but their lineup doesn't have any good hitters. I'm with GM Carson, you can sugar coat S#%#, but it is what it is. Or something to that affect. Making arguments about that stadium is exactly that, sugar coating crap. That lineup isn't good if they hit in Colorado. Maybe Gonzales, but the rest of it is garbage.

[parker]

Tray, 12th? There are only 15 teams in the NL, so on the road, they are still 3rd to last in runs scored. How is that positive for your argument.

[Andy]

parker - the Padres away OPS+ is 105; their away OPS is .765 (just above league average. They are not the dregs offensively. They are not great, either. They are, merely, average. But they are also inspired, and Van whatshisname has a career ERA of 8.90. Runs will be scored.

[Tray]

I said *major* leagues. M-a-j-o-r.

[Andy]

Meanwhile, I truly could care less about the Padres. I really like the way the Phils are playing tonight. It is such a pleasure to have an actual pitcher on the mound and an offense that is, quite simply, this dangerous.

[Andy]

Gosh, with this kind of command, how did he ever lose 14 games?

[Andy]

In Washington it's now 12 - 4.

[parker]

Well Tray, they also play the Rockies 20 something times andu scored a months worth of runs against Philly, so I think that some of their run scoring totals are misleading. If you want to convice me of anything, which really is not going to happen in this situation, then tell me what their BA is on the road, and power numbers, and how much that is inflated v.s. Colorado.

Howaaad!!!! Again, who wanted to sit Howard????

[Andy]

Did I mention how much I love this team?

[Run Up The Score]

Go Nats Go!